Clashes in Caracas

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

STORY: Venezuela's national guard clashed with dozens of masked protesters on Wednesday after opposition groups tried to block streets and march through downtown Caracas.

Protesters pelted authorities with rocks and home-made explosives while national guard units fired tear gas canisters to repel the crowd. Several protesters were detained.

The latest round of clashes comes one day after the head of the opposition umbrella group MUD said in a statement that talks with the government of President Nicolas Maduro was in crisis due to repression of student demonstrations and officials' refusal to grant concessions that could defuse three months of street protests.

Opposition leaders have said they would miss the next round of talks with the government while on Tuesday, Maduro said he did not plan to halt dialogue and hoped the next round would go forward.

The MUD is also seeking the release of demonstrators arrested during r