Hundreds of people in Venezuela have taken to the streets to protest the government's backing of the Syrian regime, which has been accused of atrocities in its bid to crush a 18-month protest movement.

Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, has continued to support his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, along with the leaders of Russia and Iran, despite international condemnation of alleged war crimes.

Caracas has sent at least three shiploads of oil to aid the Syrian government, which has been hit with Western embargoes over its crackdown on dissent.

Lucia Newman reports from Caracas.