Venezuela: Chavistas Attack City Hall, Says Caracas Opposition Mayor Ledezma

Opposition Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma said Sunday that Venezuelan government supporters attacked city hall to eliminate evidence of corruption by his predecessor, ruling party member Juan Barreto.

The attack occurred on Saturday, when ruling party supporters broke down the building's doors and fired at the structure during an unsuccessful attempt to remove certain documents, Ledezma said in a press conference. "Here are the documents they were looking for," Ledezma said, waving the papers. The mayor listed a series of alleged corruption cases totaling some $6 million.

Ledezma said the attack was part of a plan to intimidate new city officials, who were elected on Nov. 23, and keep them from investigating irregularities. "They want to trade peace for cover-up," the mayor said. The Caracas mayor said the groups operating against him were "a mixture of common criminals and activists at the service of the president of the republic, Hugo Chavez." Ledezma said he had filed charges with the Attorney General's Office, but "no solution has been found up to now."

"International organizations with offices in Caracas will be informed of these acts to generate violence and sabotage the work of elected authorities," the mayor said. Ledezma said he and his supporters would also take to the streets to protest the purported plan targeting his government.