At least eight student protestors shot after anti-Chavez march

Nov 8, 2007, 4:36 GMT

Caracas - At least eight people were shot when gunmen opened fire on students peacefully demonstrating against President Hugo Chavez's plan to amend the constitution, media reports said.

The identities of the gunmen who shot Wednesday night at the protestors at the Central University of Venezuela in Caracas were not known, but the opposition accused Chavez's government of being responsible for the attack.

Tens of thousands of students marched to the Supreme Court building Wednesday, calling for a delay of a December 2 referendum on the proposed constitutional changes. The gunfire came after the protest as the students returned to campus, the media reports said, citing emergency services.

The constitutional amendments sought by Chavez and passed by the legislature include abolishing presidential term limits and the autonomy of the central bank, reducing the power of state governments and declaring socialism as Venezuela's official ideology.

A strong police presence at the Supreme Court presented clashes between the students and Chavez supporters.

Interior Minister Pedro Carreno accused the students of violence and seeking 'the destabilization of democracy.'

Wednesday's protest followed a November 1 demonstration by thousands of students that was violently broken up by police. Ten people were injured.

Chavez said the constitutional amendments would anchor reforms through '21st-century socialism' in the constitution and improve the fight against corruption. The opposition accused Chavez of governing like a dictator.

Currently, Venezuela's president can be re-elected once, which would end Chavez's tenure in 2012.