Venezuela protesters target Hugo Chávez statues amid disputed election

A destroyed statue of the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez lies next to its base in Valencia, Venezuela, on 30 July 2024. Photograph: Jacinto Oliveros/AP

As protests over Venezuela’s disputed presidential election spread across the country, opposition supporters have focused their fury on president Nicolás Maduro’s predecessor and political mentor, Hugo Chávez.

At least seven statues of the former leader have been attacked, some beheaded with sledgehammers, and some completely torn down.