The ongoing political crisis in Venezuela has claimed at least 38 lives.

The US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has expressed Washington's concern over the Venezuelan government’s “violent crackdown.” Over the past month, almost daily demonstrations have spiralled into violence and resulted in deadly clashes between the opposition and police. On Saturday, women in Venezuela took a public stand, and marched to send mixed messages.

Women of all ages, walks of life and socio-economic backgrounds donned white clothes and gathered in Caracas in an anti-government rally. On another side of the city, women dressed in red to show support for President Nicolas Maduro. 

In the wealthy eastern part of Caracas, women in white, a color traditionally associated with defiance in Venezuela, showed support for the opposition in an event billed as a “women’s march against repression.”

The demonstration was organized by Lilian Tintori, the wife of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez who was given a long-term prison sentence after the last major wave of street protests three years ago.

Opposition leaders are demanding freedom for political prisoners and calling on the Venezuelan government to open a channel for humanitarian aid so food and medicine can enter the cash-starved country. They are also requesting the restoration of the National Assembly’s Constitutional roles and pushing for a timeline for new elections to take place.

President Maduro has said demonstrations by the opposition are aimed at sowing chaos in Venezuela, and insisted the best way forward is to dissolve the National Assembly and to rewrite the constitution.

The latest protest movement in Venezuela has drawn masses of people into the street nearly every day since March. And, without a political solution, it is unlikely the demonstrations will lose steam anytime soon.