Brazil condemns assassination of Venezuelan opposition leader

The Brazilian government on Friday released a statement condemning the assassination of Venezuelan political leader Luis Manuel Diaz.

Diaz, secretary of the opposition Democratic Action party, was killed Wednesday at a campaign rally in the central state of Guarico for the Dec. 6 legislative elections.

Rivalry between criminal gangs may have been responsible for the death of Diaz, leader of a local gang known as Los Plateados, who had received death threats, according to the state-run Venezuelan News Agency.

The Brazilian government expressed shock at the incident and agreed with the stance of the South American Union (Unasur) that opposes resorting to violence which can affect the electoral process in Venezuela.

Brasilia also urged the Venezuelan authorities to investigate the crime and punish the responsible.

"It is the responsibility of the Venezuelan authorities to ensure that the electoral process which culminates in the Dec. 6 elections runs in a clean, peaceful manner, in order to allow the Venezuelan people to exercise their civic duties with tranquility," the statement from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said.

The statement also expressed Brazil's confidence that the Venezuelan authorities will take actions to curb any acts of violence and intimidation which can endanger the elections. Endi