委内瑞拉抗议者首都游行要求公投罢免马杜罗

Hundreds of thousands of opponents of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, some of whom traveled from far-off villages in the Amazon, marched through the streets of Caracas Thursday.

"Venezuela is hungry!" yelled some of the protestors, all dressed in white, as they marched in the east of the capital.

Protesters are pressing for a recall referendum against the president, whose approval ratings have fallen to a dismal 25 percent this year.

The opposition was hoping for one million people weary of ongoing recession, inflation in the triple digits, and a countrywide shortage of food and basic necessities to march through the capital Thursday.

Maduro threatened to imprison opposition leaders if violence breaks out, but Jesus Torrealba, opposition party Democratic Unity Roundtable leader, has vowed that marches will remain peaceful.

But the election board has dragged its feet, making a recall vote this year unlikely.