Mass protest against Chavez in Caracas

An opponent of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez participates in a demonstration in Caracas Saturday.. PHOTO: AFP

Demonstrators marched on the capital from six different directions.

Protests have erupted in the last week over the electoral council's refusal to authenticate hundreds of thousands of signatures collected by the opposition.

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At least eight demonstrators have been killed in recent days - but the latest march passed off peacefully.

The BBC's Elliot Gotkine in Caracas says it was the largest such rally so far this year.

Dressed in the Venezuelan national colours of yellow, blue and red, protesters blew whistles and chanted anti-Chavez slogans as they marched towards the centre of the city.

"We're prepared to take to the streets a thousand times until we're allowed the recall referendum," opposition leader Henry Ramos Allup said.

"Nobody is going to rob us of our right to oust Hugo Chavez peacefully," he added.