Venezuela Opposition Leader Ledezma Escapes House Arrest

Jailed opposition leader and former Caracas mayor, Antonio Ledezma, has escaped from house arrest and fled Venezuela, according to local reports Friday.

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Venezuela Opposition Leader Antonio Ledezma Gets House Arrest

Ledezma, who was detained in 2015 on allegations of coup-plotting but had been under house arrest, spearheaded street protests against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in 2014 that led to months of violence and 43 deaths while acting as Caracas metropolitan mayor.

He fled by land over the border to Colombia, the migration service in the Colombian city of Cucuta confirmed.

"Welcome to freedom!" tweeted former Colombian President Andres Pastrana, who is close to Venezuela's opposition.

"I salute Antonio Ledezma, moral compass for Venezuela," said Organization of American States, OAS, head Luis Almagro, who has also been a vocal backer of Venezuela's opposition.

His wife Mitzy Capriles told Colombia BLU Radio from Madrid that he had left his Caracas home, but she did not know where he was. "I haven't spoken to him for several hours," she said. However reports from the right-wing daily El Nacional suggest his final destination is a country in Europe.

This comes as Unasur-sponsored dialogue between Venezuela's government and opposition is scheduled to resume in the Dominican Republic. Jorge Rodriguez, head of the government delegation, Delcy Rodriguez, president of the National Constituent Assembly, and constituent assembly member Cilia Flores left for Santo Domingo Thursday evening.

Following the resounding victory by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela in the Oct. 15 regional elections, opposition parties had descended into public spatting over accepting the results, as well as participation in upcoming municipal election and talks with the government.