Intense photos show Venezuela being rocked by the 'mother of all protests'

Venezuela's protracted economic, political, and social crises have burst onto the streets again in recent weeks.

The recent spate of demonstrations have also seen thousands of Venezuelans in the streets protesting their government.

Prior to Wednesday, five people had been killed in clashes on the streets.

Some people have been struck by gunfire from police, and at least one officer is facing charges over a death. Others were allegedly shot by government supporters.

This week, opposition leaders called demonstrators to the streets on Wednesday in what they dubbed the "mother of all marches."

"President Maduro has called his supporters to march in some of the same places that the opposition had already targeted their supporters," David Smilde, a senior fellow at the Washington Office on Latin America, said on Wednesday. "Maduro also called in a military plan, so there's military in the streets in Caracas."

"So everything is set for their to be violence today," he said. By late Wednesday, two more people had been killed in the protests.

The photos below, many of them from Wednesday, show the intensity with which Venezuelans have taken to the streets in recent days.