Three people killed during anti-government protests in Venezuela

At least three people have reportedly been killed following clashes that erupted during pro and anti-government protests across Venezuela.

A woman was killed during a protest in the country’s San Cristobal city in the state of Táchira, while a teenager was shot during a demonstration in the capital Caracas on Wednesday.

Security forces used tear gas to disperse the anti-government demonstrators who had gathered in the hundreds of thousands in Caracas for a protest dubbed the "mother of all marches."

Officials also said that anti-government protesters killed a National Guard sergeant in the town of San Antonio de los Altos near Venezuela’s capital.

Supporter of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also took part in a large counter rally in the city.

"Why did they decide to launch this offensive all of a sudden? First, because it is the order of the empire in the hands of extremists of the Department of State," Maduro said while addressing a rally at Bolivar Avenue in the capital.

Venezuela has been hit by violent demonstrations sparked by the Supreme Court’s ruling to annul the legislature.

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Venezuela’s Supreme Court ruled that the National Assembly was in “contempt” and annulled its legislative powers. However, it reversed its ruling on April 1 after Maduro asked the judicial body to review the decision.

Public discontent with the government has been high as a result of the economic woes gripping the once-booming Latin American economy.

The embattled president is blamed for Venezuela’s economic woes while the opposition also regrets his lack of tolerance for dissent. Maduro says the Western-backed opposition has hugely capitalized on the global slump in oil prices to try and remove him from office.