Protesters rally in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela — The nation’s government fired tear gas and rubber bullets at some of the thousands of opponents of President Nicolas Maduro who poured into the streets of Caracas amid a weeklong protest movement that shows little sign of losing steam.

The demonstrations in the capital and several other cities came a day after Maduro’s government barred top opposition leader Henrique Capriles from running for office for 15 years.

The protests were spurred by the Supreme Court’s decision to gut the opposition-controlled legislature of its last vestiges of power, a move that was later reversed amid widespread international condemnation and even dissent within Maduro’s normally disciplined socialist leadership.

Mayhem then ensued, with riot police racing down streets, dodging objects thrown from tall apartment buildings as they deployed to squash the outbreak of unrest.