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Caracazo
EntityQ1035320· pop 15· linked from 210 articles

Also known as El Caracazo

The Caracazo is the name given to the wave of protests, riots, and looting that started on 27 February 1989 in the Venezuelan city of Guarenas, spreading to Caracas and surrounding towns following austerity measures from President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Weeklong clashes resulted in numerous deaths, with estimates ranging from hundreds to thousands, attributed largely to security forces and military involvement, according to various reports. The riots and the protests began mainly in response to the government's economic reforms and the resulting increase in the price of gasoline and transportati

Key facts

Civil conflict.title
Caracazo
Civil conflict.partof
Protests in Venezuela
Civil conflict.caption
Top, left, right: Venezuelans cheering during the rioting; the looting of stores in Caracas; and police responding to a scene
Civil conflict.date
27 February 1989 – 5 March 1989( days)
Civil conflict.place
Caracas, Republic of Venezuela
Civil conflict.causes
Austerity measures
Civil conflict.methods
Protests Riots Looting
Civil conflict.result
Civilian casualties $212 million of damage (2022 USD) Political instability
Civil conflict.side1
Protesters
Civil conflict.fatalities
277 (government) 2,000–5,000 (independent est.)
Civil conflict.injuries
2,000+

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Show 4 more facts
point in time
1989-02-27
Commons category
Caracazo
end time
1989-03-00
start time
1989-00-00
Sources (1)

via Wikidata · CC0

~22 min read

Article

20 sections
Contents
  • Etymology
  • Background
  • Timeline of protests and rioting
  • 27 February
  • 28 February
  • 1 March
  • 2 March
  • 3 March
  • 4 March
  • 5 March
  • Aftermath and consequences
  • Political instability
  • Investigations
  • Analysis
  • In popular culture
  • See also
  • References
  • Bibliography
  • Further reading
  • External links

The Caracazo is the name given to the wave of protests, riots, and looting that started on 27 February 1989 in the Venezuelan city of Guarenas, spreading to Caracas and surrounding towns following austerity measures from President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Weeklong clashes resulted in numerous deaths, with estimates ranging from hundreds to thousands, attributed largely to security forces and military involvement, according to various reports. The riots and the protests began mainly in response to the government's economic reforms and the resulting increase in the price of gasoline and transportation.

==Etymology== The term "Caracazo", stems from the city's name, Caracas, and "-azo", which stems from another historic event, the Bogotazo, was a massive riot in Bogotá, recognized as having a crucial role in Colombia's history. "Caracazo" is technically defined as the "Caracas smash" or "the big one in Caracas" based on Spanish dialect.

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