CARACAS, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's Carabobo state governor Francisco Ameliach confirmed on Monday that a policeman had been killed in the state, bringing the death toll from protests in the country to 40 since April 1.
Writing on Twitter, Ameliach explained that a sniper had shot a police officer in the head during protests in the state's capital of Valencia, and another officer was injured.
Local media also reported two police motorcycles were burned along the Eastern Highway in Carabobo.
The street protests on Monday came after a call by the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) for a massive turnout by its supporters across the country.
Ameliach blamed the MUD for the attack, saying "Sectors of the MUD in Carabobo are leading the violence. Good men and women must reject them and work for peace."
Since anti-government protests began in early April, the country has registered 40 dead and around 600 injured while over 1,000 people have been arrested.
The MUD has been at loggerheads with the central government on a number of issues, including calling early elections and freeing political prisoners.
