美国有线新闻 CNN 不顾民众持续抗议 马杜罗执意启动委内瑞拉制宪大会

 

In the troubled South American nation of Venezuela, a tale of two marches, one by women dressed in white shirts. They were part of the crowd of thousands in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas. The white color meant to call for peace and mourn the victims of the recent violence in the country.

One demonstrator said their message was for the Venezuelan government, that the people didn't want anymore, quote, repression¹, clashes, blood or injured. She called on government forces to stop shooting.

In another part of the capital — red shirts, people marching in support of the government and its president, Nicolas Maduro, he blames those who opposed him of trying to stage a coup² and he says they have the support of the U.S. Dozens of people have died in the country recently. Some killed in demonstrations³ supporting or opposing the government, some in acts of vandalism that have taken place during the unrest.

The United Nations says the Venezuelan government's heavy handed response and attempts to quiet the opposition⁴ have made the nation's problems worst.

It's seen its largest protest in years and its people's financial struggles — their ability to get food, medicine, groceries, diapers — it's all fuel for an unstable⁵ and unpredictable environment.

REPORTER: Scenes of pitched battles repeated across the country over the last five weeks, killing⁶ at least 35 people and injuring more than 700, as the opposition takes the streets almost daily to protest against President Nicolas Maduro, accusing him of imposing⁷ a dictatorship.

(CROWD CHANTING)

REPORTER: President Maduro remains⁸ defiant⁹.

NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The people must decide if they want war or they want peace. In the next weeks, we will have elections. If you wanted elections, have them.

REPORTER: But instead of the regional elections demanded by the opposition, Maduro has called for elections to create a constituent¹⁰ assembly that could, among other things, rewrite the constitution. Critics at home and abroad say it's a blatant¹¹ power grab as Maduro's popularity dwindles¹².

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It will be worse for the country in all ways. The financial crisis will worsen. And socially, there will be more anger.

REPORTER: Once the richest country in Latin America, with vast oil reserves, these are the images that you now find on the streets of Caracas, families digging through the thrash.

Adriana Sanchez cleans houses, but she says she can't afford food for her two children. With inflation of 800 percent last year and more than 80 percent of families living in poverty, many like Jose Godoy, an unemployed¹³ construction worker, are digging for scraps¹⁴.

JOSE RAFAEL GODOY, UNEMPLOYED CONSTRUCTION WORKER (through translator): There are thousands of us looking through the trash to eat. Thousands, not one of us or two or four. There are thousands who are on the streets looking for something to eat to survive.

REPORTER: The situation at supermarkets is hardly better: endless lines and empty shelves — one of the main reasons Venezuelans are taking to the streets.

1 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。

2 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

3 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

10 constituent   

n.选民；成分，组分；adj.组成的，构成的

参考例句：

• Sugar is the main constituent of candy.食糖是糖果的主要成分。
• Fibre is a natural constituent of a healthy diet.纤维是健康饮食的天然组成部分。

11 blatant   

adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的

参考例句：

• I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
• His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。

12 dwindles   

v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Her husband grows rich in crime, her significance dwindles. 她的丈夫罪恶累累，她的形象也受到损害。 来自辞典例句
• The voice died away and ceased, as an insect's tiny trumpet dwindles swiftly into silence. 这声音逐渐消失，就象昆虫的小喇叭嘎然而止。 来自辞典例句

13 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

14 scraps   

油渣

参考例句：

• Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
• A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。