Venezuela Investigating Opposition Politician's Death, US Interfering

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Source: Telesur TV

The U.S. has again interferred in domestic affairs following the death of opposition politician Luis Manuel Diaz, while government leaders have rejected “defamation” around the case.

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"I have asked the authorities to convene a press conference once they have accurate information in order to let people know the facts,” Maduro said Thursday. The Venezuelan leader said however that preliminary investigations point to the murder, which occurred while Diaz was at a campaign event for the Democratic Action party, may have been carried out by criminal groups whom Diaz had dealings with.

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United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) leader Jorge Rodriguez also announced on Thursday that his party would take legal action against the leader of opposition party Democratic Action, Henry Ramos Allup, for defamation. Within minutes of the murder, Allup blamed the PSUV.

“Luis Manuel Diaz was unfortunately well known for his long record of criminal activity in the start of Guarico. He was the last member of a criminal gang called the Plateados (silver plated), which was involved in extorsion, contract killings, and kidnapping in that state,” Rodriguez said.

“(Diaz’s) involvement in that gang was known to everyone … as were his links to trade union mafias in the construction industry, which were in dispute with the mayor of Chaguaramas, who certainly isn’t a member of the PSUV. In fact, Mayor Giovany Salazar, who was fighting with this man, Luis Diaz, for control of those union mafias, is a member of another opposition party, Justice First.”

Finally, on Thursday the U.S. State Department issued a statement condemning the killing of Diaz, something it has never done following the murders of hundreds of indigenous activists, rural leaders, and pro-government unionists, as well as various PSUV leaders, such as legislator Robert Serra last year.

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Read more: http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Maduro-Addresses-the-Killing-of-Venezuelan-Opposition-Leader-20151126-0012.html