CARACAS, Venezuela — A new political crisis convulsed Venezuela on Friday over the arrest of the Caracas mayor, one of the country’s top opposition figures, accused by President Nicolás Maduro of abetting what he called an American plot to overthrow the government.
Supporters of the mayor, Antonio Ledezma, quickly mobilized protests over his arrest, carried out without warning Thursday night. Human Rights Watch and other advocacy groups demanded Mr. Ledezma’s release.
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“We are deeply concerned by what appears to be the Venezuelan government’s effort to escalate intimidation of its political opponents by rounding up these prominent leaders of the opposition,” the statement said. “Venezuela’s problems cannot be solved by criminalizing dissent.”
María Eugenia Díaz reported from Caracas, and Frances Robles from Mexico.
