The young protester is a ball of fire running through the street, his gas mask stifling his screams as his hands wave spasmodically in a futile attempt to extinguish the flames. The picture of 28-year-old student Victor Salazar engulfed in flames won the prestigious World Press Photo of the Year award Thursday. Taken on May 3, 2017, the image captures the moment that a national guard motorcycle seized by protesters exploded, setting Salazar alight. Schemidt, who is Venezuelan but based in Mexico for the past 18 years, spent two months documenting the protests in his home country. Against that backdrop, Schemidt came across a clash between a group of masked protesters and national guard troops in armoured vehicles.

Source: Hindustan Times April 13, 2018 04:29 UTC