A top Venezuelan opposition lawmaker was injured when police fired tear gas and forcefully broke up protesters demanding the authorities move forward with a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro.

It was the fourth time in recent days that police have cracked down on protesters trying to march on the National Electoral Board (CNE), the gatekeeper to a referendum the opposition says must be held this year to stop a country in crisis from exploding into unrest.

Late Thursday, CNE official Luis Emilio Rondon said signatures from the petition to recall Maduro would be validated from June 20 to 24 -- the next step in the lengthy process.

Read more at: Yahoo News.