Tear gas was used during an anti-government protest in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Wednesday, April 26.

A journalist at the scene said the National Guard used tear gas without warning, even after opposition leaders attempted to speak to police and negotiate passage for the marchers.

Venezuelan opposition leaders also said security forces launched tear gas at protesters in front of an elementary school in Caracas on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s protests were part of ongoing demonstrations against President Nicholas Maduro and his administration. Maduro, the opposition say, is trying to evade new elections amid a severe economic crisis. Recent protests have led to more than 20 deaths, prompting accusations of police brutality and violent protest suppression tactics by the National Guard.