Thousands of Venezuelans have been marching in cities across the country in protest against the government of Nicolas Maduro.

Supporters of the Venezuelan government stand in front of the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, on Oct. 23, 2016. Venezuela's political crisis exacerbated on Sunday as the opposition-controlled parliament accused the government of blocking its campaign against President Nicolas Maduro. (Xinhua/Henry Tesara/AVN)

The demonstrations were called after the authorities stopped a recall referendum process designed to cut short the President's term. Maduro has called for dialogue with the opposition. The oil-producing nation is in the midst of a deep recession.

They called it the 'taking of Venezuela'. That may reflect wishful thinking on the part of the opposition. But many of the main roads of Caracas, usually full of rush hour traffic, were instead full of people hoping to bring this government down.

And the protests were not just in the city's traditionally middle-class opposition heartlands. In the capital's poorer western region, there are plenty of people equally angry.

One of the things we have been hearing here, which may be troubling for the government, is that many people taking part in this protest have not previously protested such as Teresa, who is 91.

"I want my children, my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren to have freedom and have a decent life, a correct life like all Venezuelans deserve. This should be a wonderful country," said one protestor.

And this 18-year-old student. - she said she want to reclaim her rights. Venezuela's opposition is a coalition with a common enemy - the president. But as we discovered, it is not always unified on tactics. This group was arguing about whether to march to the presidential palace

The decision on that is 'not yet' - but the opposition is threatening to do so next week. The current occupant of the palace says he isn't planning to go anywhere until the next presidential elections - which are not scheduled until 2018.

Nicolas Maduro is backing talks with the opposition, mediated by the Vatican

He said, "I invite all institutional actors to join the political dialogue convened in the document signed by the political opposition of Venezuela and the Bolivarian revolutionary forces on Monday, and read by the envoy of his Holiness Pope Francis."

The opposition says that while talks are possible the government first needs to reinstate a recall referendum, which was stopped last week.

And it says until that happens it will keep the pressure up - with a general strike planned for Friday.