Regional opposition leader Luis Manuel Diaz was shot dead at a campaign rally less than two weeks before Venezuelan parliamentary elections.
Luis Manuel Diaz was shot on stage during a rally.
Hitmen from the Marxist United Socialist Party were blamed for the attack.
Chavista thugs were blamed for the assassination.
Ayer en #Venezuela los Chavistas dispararon a una caravana opositora en pleno dia, hoy mataron a Luis Manuel Diaz pic.twitter.com/VnV31TQPWp
— Pepe Grillo © (@ViejoBlues) November 26, 2015
Shot and killed a regional leader of the Venezuelan opposition Acción Democrática https://t.co/Mr2uot9n69 pic.twitter.com/RuGsceIou7
— Magnus (@xz32f) November 26, 2015
The ruling Chavista Socialists denied involvement in the assassination.
The BBC reported:
A regional opposition leader in Venezuela has been shot dead at a campaign rally less than two weeks before parliamentary elections.
The Democratic Action party says Luis Manuel Diaz was killed by a man who approached the stage after a public meeting in central Guarico state.
Opposition leaders blamed militias supporting the governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).
President Nicolas Maduro denied this and said an inquiry had been launched.
“The interior ministry has strong indications that it was a clash between rival criminal gangs,” said Mr Maduro.
Lilian Tintori, the wife of jailed opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez, addressed opposition supporters alongside Mr Diaz shortly before the shooting.
The Democratic Action party leader, Henry Ramos Allup, said Mr Diaz had been shot dead by “armed PSUV gangs” from a vehicle.
“Whatever happens, the Venezuelan people will go to the polls on 6 December, and we will win”, said Mr Ramos Allup in a press conference.
Diaz was buried today.
HACE MINUTOS fue sepultado el dirigente Luis Manuel Díaz, Secretario Reg. AD en medio de una concentración opositora pic.twitter.com/PFqTzqB8kk
— Elyangelica Gonzalez (@ElyangelicaNews) November 27, 2015