POLICE in camouflage uniforms smashed into the office of the Caracas mayor on Thursday and arrested incumbent Antonio Ledezma.

There were small demonstrations against the arrest throughout the day.

As night fell, a few dozen protesters gathered to vent their anger in front of the headquarters of the intelligence service police where Mr Ledezma was being held.

President Nicolas Maduro named Mr Ledezma last week as being part of a group of government critics who have been accused of plotting a coup to bring down his socialist government.

Allies of the right-wing mayor called for more protests to demand his immediate release.

The US State Department claimed that Venezuela’s accusations of coup-plotting were “baseless and false” and were intended to direct attention away from mounting economic problems.

But Mr Maduro took to television and radio to warn that Mr Ledezma, one of the most vocal opposition leaders, would be punished for trying to sow unrest.