Venezuela is sliding into anarchy

Rioting and looting have exploded in the rural state of Barinas, leaving eight dead and dozens injured. In one of Caracas's main plazas on Saturday, a lynch mob doused a young man with gasoline and set him ablaze. And in several neighborhoods of the capital, masked protesters have been setting up smoldering street barricades known as “guarimbas,” demanding payment from passing cars. After seven weeks of near-daily protests, the incidents point to spreading anarchy in Venezuela, as both the government and opposition leaders — who urge nonviolence — appear to be losing control.Venezuelan security forces and the pro-government motorcycle gangs known as “colectivos” have met the unrest with escalating force, and in some cases, lethal gunfire, making matters worse. At least 50 people have been killed in the past seven weeks, including protesters, members of Venezuelan security forces and bystanders caught in the fray. More…