Protests in Venezuela have been escalating throughout the past month and they continue to grow everyday. About a month ago, these protests started to catch the public eye, drawing in reporters from around the world. On Tuesday, the Venezuelan government reported 23 deaths and over 200 injuries since the protests began. However, this tally doesn’t indicate whether these were civilian or military deaths.  Young adults, particularly students, are beginning to join the protests, leading to growing support on both sides of the conflict. This student involvement has swiftly grown, resulting in the recent death of a 24-year-old college student. On Thursday the government began to use tear gas on the crowds, and neither side seems ready to back down. Secretary of State John Kerry announced that if the situation is not settled soon, the United States will take action to stop the violence.