Young Venezuelan protesters lobbed bottles and bags of faeces at soldiers who fought with tear gas yesterday to block the latest march in more than a month of nationwide protests against socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

The extraordinary scenes, in what was dubbed the "Shit March" on the main highway through Caracas, came as thousands of opposition supporters again poured onto the streets decrying Venezuela's economic crisis and demanding elections.

Many carried stones and so-called "poopootov cocktails" - faeces stuffed into small glass bottles - which they threw when National Guard troops blocked their path, firing gas and turning water cannons on the crowds.