 Erecting improvised street barricades, dubbed "guarimbas", were a controversial form of protest in 2014.Though initially protests were mainly performed by the middle and upper classes, lower class Venezuelans quickly became involved as the situation in Venezuela deteriorated.Nicolas Maduro's government characterized the protests as an undemocratic coup d'etat attempt orchestrated by "fascist" opposition leaders and the United States; blaming capitalism and speculation for causing high inflation rates and goods scarcities as part of an "economic war" being waged on his government.