In Venezuela, violent unrest driven by growing deprivation may be more dangerous to the government than the mass political protests sweeping the country. While thousands of people organized by the country's opposition coalition participate in demonstrations that have caught the world's eye, President Nicolas Maduro and the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) face a less visible threat from persistent, smaller and often violent protests in poorer areas of the capital city. In a country where inflation has run rampant for years and food shortages are growing more acute, an increasing number of people have taken to the streets. A recent lower-level protest, held in the La Vega neighborhood of western Caracas, left 11 people dead: Three were gunned down and eight were electrocuted, likely an accident related to looting.