Venezuela inditcts opposition mayor for treason

CARACAS Mayor Antonio Ledezma has been indicted for plotting violence against Venezuela’s government – a move condemned by the country’s opposition.

The attorney general’s office said Mr Ledezma, 59, would remain in a military prison pending his trial.

President Nicolas Maduro earlier accused the opposition mayor of being involved in a U.S.-backed coup.

This comes on the anniversary of the start of protests against Mr Maduro’s rule that left dozens of people dead.

On Friday, opponents of the president again protested in the capital against what they described as a crackdown on his political opponents.

The US has also denounced the “systemic intimidation” by the Venezuelan authorities of the country’s opposition.

State department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: “Venezuela’s problems cannot be solved by criminalising legitimate, democratic dissent.”