The Venezuelan government claimed victory as it cleared the streets of San Cristobal, the city where the protests sweeping the country originated more than six weeks ago.
The army and police took control of the city on Sunday, clearing the streets of barricades with thousands of troops, bulldozers, and armed vehicles, according to Al Jazeera. Authorities claimed there were no injuries during the operation, though police used stun grenades and tear gas against protesters, who responded with bricks and homemade mortar bombs.
Gen. Vladimir Padrino, the head of the National Armed Forces Strategic Operational Command announced the completion of the action on Sunday, referencing the weeks of clashes that left many Venezuelans afraid to travel after dark -- a de facto "curfew." "We just ended the curfew imposed by terrorism [...] with no victims! Go PNB [Bolivarian National Police] and GNB [Bolivarian National Guard]!," he tweeted.
Acabamos toque de queda impuesto por el terrorismo en las avenidas Carabobo, Ferrero Tamayo y España de SC sin víctimas. Adelante PNB y GNB!
— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) March 31, 2014
On Monday he tweeted that San Cristobal had woken up in a "climate of peace and cordiality."
The city, however, is now "militarized," according to the Spanish newspaper El Pais. Armed forces will guard the cleared neighborhoods, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Alessandro Rampietti.
600 Venezuelan national guard will guard the area cleared of barricades in San Cristobal on Sunday pic.twitter.com/5PwMdGfdIB
— Alessandro Rampietti (@rampietti) March 30, 2014
The governor of the state of Tachira, where San Cristobal is located, celebrated the operation.
"The best present we can give to San Cristobal is the return of our children to school and of our good people to work," Gov. José Gregorio Vielma Mora said, according to the BBC.
The offensive in San Cristobal is the latest step in the government's response to the protests. The elected mayor of San Cristobal, Daniel Ceballos, was jailed on March 20, accused of civil rebellion and conspiracy for his alleged role in the unrest. Five days later, he was sentenced to 12 months in prison.
Earlier, the mayor of San Diego, Enzo Scarano, was sentenced to 10 months and 15 days in prison, and the government is also trying to prosecute Maria Machado, one of the main leaders of the opposition.
The count of people who have died in connection to the protests raised to 39 over the weekend, though none were reported in connection with the government's offensive.