Venezuela News: Regional Opposition Leader Luis Manuel Diaz Assassinated?

Venezuelan opposition leader, Luis Manuel Diaz, has been killed. Diaz was killed at a campaign rally less than two weeks before the scheduled parliamentary elections.

BBC reports that Luis Manuel Diaz was killed by a man who had approached the stage after a meeting in Guarico. Opposition leaders, in turn had reportedly blamed militias supporting the governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) for the shooting.

President Nicolas Maduro had denied this claim and said that an investigation was already well underway. He added that the interior ministry had indications that the shooting was due to a clash between rival criminal gangs.

BBC also reported that Democratic Action party leader, Henry Ramos Allup, announced that Diaz was shot dead by "armed PSUV gangs" from a moving vehicle.

Allup also announced, in a press conference, that whatever happens, the Venezuelans will push through with the elections on December 6. He added that the Democratic Party will win. Allup also said that it was important that the people would not get intimidated due to the certain turn of events.

Venezuela's Electoral Commission, Luis Emilio Rondon, has shown concern over the recent violent events.

Rondon appealed for an investigation "to identify the perpetrators and tackle impunity." Maduro had responded to Ramos Allup's claims by telling the leader of the Democratic Party to provide substantial evidence to back up his his claims. He warned Allup not to jump to conclusions. 

Those who belonged to the opposition party claimed that many of their candidates have been attacked during the past few weeks.

Miguel Pizarro, for instance, said that he was approached by armed men in Petare on Sunday. Pizarro is currently running for re-election in Caracas,

Governor Henrique Capriles also said he was attacked by a group of men wearing masks in Yare earlier this month.

Yahoo reports that the Venezuelan government has continuously denied any involvement in any of the attacks on the politicians. The government has further accused the opposition of trying to provoke PSUV supporters.

The country reportedly has the second-highest murder rate in the world: 54 killings per 100,000 inhabitants in 2012. The oil-rich country has suffered a plunge in crude oil prices and inflation, which led to rampant crimes and political tension in the country.

The rampant crime in the country, as well as the drop in oil revenues and shortages of basic have all hurt President Maduro's ratings with the Venezuelans.