page_title: Timeline of the 2017 Venezuelan protests
section_title: July
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of the 2017 Venezuelan protests / July
caption_attribution_description: English: Óscar Pérez appearance in a nocturnal opposition march in Altamira, Caracas, on July 13
context_page_description: The 2017 Venezuelan protests began in late January following the abandonment of Vatican-backed dialogue between the Bolivarian government and the opposition. The series of protests originally began in February 2014 when hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans protested due to high levels of criminal violence, inflation, and chronic scarcity of basic goods because of policies created by the Venezuelan government though the size of protests had decreased since 2014. Following the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis, protests began to increase greatly throughout Venezuela.
  The opposition protests demanded immediate presidential elections to be held following controversy surrounding the failure to recall President Nicolás Maduro. The protests are listed below according to the month they had happened.
context_section_description: 1 July - 25 protesters who were arrested in Caracas on 29 June, including 17 USB students, were sentenced unconditional freedom and nullity of arrest.
  2 July - 27 Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador (UPEL) students were arrested in Maracay after police officers burst into the college campus, violating the university's autonomy.
  3 July - The opposition announces an unofficial referendum for Venezuelans to participate in to contest with the constitutional assembly on 30 July. Citizens were invited to vote on 16 July to share their opinions on the military, the proposed constitutional assembly and if they preferred the creation of a separate "national unity" government.
  4 July - The 27 UPEL students arrested on 2 July were taken to military tribunals and sentenced to jail, while the female students were placed on house arrest.
  5 July - The 2017 Venezuelan National Assembly attack occurs after Vice President Tareck El Aissami leads supporters and colectivos to the Palacio Federal Legislativo. National Guardsman allow mobs of government supporters into the National Assembly facility, with the attack leaving at least 12 opposition lawmakers and their staff injured. The opposition later announced plans for the 2017 Venezuelan referendum.
  6 July - The MUD announces the questions to be asked on the ballots in their unofficial referendum, with ballots asking voters if they deny the proposed Constitutional Assembly, if they demand the armed forces to support the 1999 constitution and the National Assembly and if they demand immediate general elections with the creation of a "unity government".
  7 July - Archbishop Diego Padron, president of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, states that the Constitutional Assembly is "unnecessary and inconvenient", that it would result in "a military, socialist, Marxist and communist dictatorship" and that the process was illegal since the Bolivarian government required a referendum prior to voting for members of an assembly.
  8 July - Opposition leader Leopoldo López is released from Ramo Verde Prison and placed on house arrest.
  9 July - Thousands take to the streets of Caracas to protest for the 100th consecutive day.
  10 July - Another national trancazo occurs. An IED targeting members of the Venezuelan National Guard on motorcycle is detonated on the Troncal 9 in Altamira.
  13 July - The ''Nocturnal March of the Fallen'' of the fallen occurs. Óscar Pérez makes an appearance in Altamira neighborhood of Caracas announcing support for the opposition-organized referendum that was to be held on July 16 and promoted upon the so-called "Zero Hour" of 18 July. 21-year-old protester Giovany Scovino with Asperger syndrome was severely beat up by four National Guardsmen and four National Policemen in Lechería, Anzoátegui, causing him hematomas and internal bleeding. Tarek William Saab described the actions as "cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment", visited Scovino in the hospital where he was hospitalized and announced the security officers were under arrest, although the Public Ministry denied this and announced that the arrest hasn't been formalized. The Bolivarian National Police are outfitted with new militarized, camouflage uniforms and red berets during a ceremony in Caracas, with President Maduro – while wearing the new uniform – comparing himself to Saddam Hussein and announced a raise of the salary for the Bolivarian National Police.
  16 July - The National Consultation occurs as Venezuelans vote internationally. In Catia, colectivos fire upon voters in the neighborhood that was predominately pro-government, killing two. Participation in the "rehearsal" for President Maduro's constitutional assembly is low, with Maduro ignoring the attack on voters in Catia and instead blaming his opposition for any violence in the country. The results of the election show that over 99% of those who voted did not want the constitutional assembly proposed by President Maduro, wanted the Venezuelan armed forces to support the 1999 constitution and the National Assembly, and demanded an immediate general e
caption: Óscar Pérez appearance in the nocturnal opposition march in Altamira on July 13
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