Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused opposition protesters of setting a pro-government supporter on fire on the 50th day of the wave of protests, which has gripped the country.

Footage of the man being set alight was broadcasted on state television and the man, identified as Orlando Figuera, 21, has been treated in hospital for severe burns and several stab wounds.

About 46 people are also believed to have been injured during the protest

Witnesses to the incident said the crowd accused the man of being a thief.

According to reports, about 100 people, who were participating in anti-Maduro protests in Caracas, surrounded Mr Figuera, doused him in gasoline and set him alight in Plaza Altamira in the east of the country’s capital.

Images from the scene showed him running near naked with flames from his back.

"A person was set on fire, beaten up, stabbed... They nearly lynched him, just because he shouted out that he was a 'Chavista'," Mr Maduro said, referring to the ruling socialist movement set up by his predecessor Hugo Chavez.

On the same day, a young opposition activists died from a gunshot wound to his chest, raising the number of people killed to 48, including supporters of both sides, some bystanders and members of the security force, officials said.

The attorney general’s office said the gunmen opened fire on an anti-government demonstration in the western city of Valera Saturday and shot dead 23-year-old Edy Alejandro Teran Aguilar.

Two other protesters were also wounded in the shooting.

Mass demonstrations against President Maduro have taken place across Venezuela for seven weeks with protesters demanding early elections in what has become increasingly violent demonstrations. In some cities, the protests degenerated into clashes between protesters and government troops and police.

Opposition demonstrators set on fire Orlando Figuera during a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro in Caraca (CARLOS BECERRA/AFP/Getty Images)

Saturday marked the 50th day of unrest in the country and protesters with white shirts, homemade gas masks and flags draped around their shoulders shut down a main road bringing central Caracas to near standstill.

Speaking on his weekly television programme, President Maduro described the incident of the pro-government supporter being set alight as “a hate crime and a crime against humanity”.

The 54-year-old president claimed protesters are seeking a violent coup against him with the support of the US.

He accused President Donald Trump of being involved in a “conspiracy” to “take political control of Venezuela”.

"Venezuela is facing ... a coup movement that has turned into hatred and intolerance, very similar to Nazi fascism," he said.

LOCURA CRECIENTE • Prenden fuego a un ser humano en "manifestación pacífica" de oposición en Caracas Venezuela. Fascismo inoculado. pic.twitter.com/gG3DHGgmtD — Ernesto Villegas P. (@VillegasPoljak) May 20, 2017

Reacting on Twitter, Venezuelan Information Minister Ernesto Villegas wrote: "Growing insanity. A human being is set on fire at a 'peaceful demonstration' by the opposition in Caracas.”

Opposition to Mr Maduro accuse the Venezuelan President of having become a dictator, wrecking the economy and causing desperation by opposing an electoral exit to the political crisis. They say Mr Maduro has instead unleashed repression and torture against protesters.

The Venezuelan authorities have blocked a referendum last year, delayed state elections and are resisting calls to bring forward the next presidential election scheduled for late 2019.

In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Show all 22 1 /22 In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela A girl scavanges for food in the streets of Caracas Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela A man scavenges for food next to girls in the streets of Caracas. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is resisting opposition efforts to hold a vote on removing him from office. The opposition blames him for an economic crisis that has caused food shortages Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Venezuelans line up to get the 'Fatherland's Card' at Bolivar Square in Caracas Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela The mother of Venezuelan Rebecca Leon, who scavenges for food in the streets of Caracas, feeds her grandson at their house in Petare shantytown. Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Venezuelan Rebecca Leon, who scavenges for food in the streets of Caracas, with her two-year-old son at her house in Petare shantytown Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Members of a pro-government community organisation work in an expropriated bakery in Caracas. Supported by popular militiamen, Venezuelan government inspectors oversee bakeries as bread comes out of the oven, to undermine an alleged plot to induce scarcity of this staple food Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Forensic police stand next to the body of a man outside a supermarket, where he died of a heart attack after waiting in a long line to buy food, in Caracas Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Venezuelan opposition activists take part in a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro at the Francisco Fajardo highway in Caracas Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela National guard throws a tear gas canister during a rally against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas, Venezuela Reuters In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Opposition supporter shouts at a police officer during a rally against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas Reuters In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Opposition supporters clash with national guards during a rally against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas Reuters In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela A boy wearing a t-shirt with the colours of the Venezuelan national flag, during a demonstration against President Nicolas Maduro's government at Foreign Affairs Ministery, in Buenos Aires, Argentina AP In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Protesters cover themselves from tear gas fired by the Venezuelan National Guard officers during a protest in Caracas AP In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Opposition supporters clash with national guards during a rally against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas Reuters In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Venezuelan opposition activists take part in a protest -blocked by the National Guard- against the government of President Nicolas Maduro at the Francisco Fajardo highway in Caracas Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela A Venezuelan national guard reacts to the effect of pepper spray during a protest of opposition supporters against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas Reuters In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Opposition supporters holding a Venezuelan flag protest against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro's government during a rally in Caracas Reuters In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Opposition supporters clash with riot police during a protest against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas, Venezuela Reuters In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Opposition supporters protest against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro's government during a rally in Caracas Reuters In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Venezuela's Supreme Court abandoned measures to seize power from the opposition-controlled legislature after the moves drew international condemnation and raised pressure on President Nicolas Maduro. The president of Venezuela's National Assembly Julio Borges dismissed the court's gesture and told reporters that nothing had changed and the coup continued Getty Images In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Venezuelans living in Peru and other protesters take part in a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government, outside the Venezuela embassy in Lima, Peru Reuters In pictures: The crisis in Venezuela Venezuelans living in Peru and other protesters take part in a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government, outside the Venezuela embassy in Lima, Peru Reuters

Seven in 10 Venezuelans reject Mr Maduro’s leadership, according to private surveys. The country’s economy has collapsed, in part due to the drop of the price of oil, its main revenue, and crime is rampant.

The opposition has accused members of government of benefiting from corruption and enriching themselves while Venezuelans suffer a crippling recession and are facing a shortage of basic items including food and medicine.

They say Mr Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez ruined the economy since coming to power in 1999.