
Hard-line opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez has handed himself over to Venezuelan security forces answering an arrest warrant placed on the figure following last week's fatal protests against the regime of President Nicolas Maduro. The government formally accused Lopez of instigating the protests and conspiring for a right-wing coup.

The Chilean coalition of Chilean president elect Michelle Bachelet is divided on how to address events in Venezuela, according to the latest statements. While the Christian Democrats support the 'democratic forces' in Venezuela in reference to the marches against President Nicolas Maduro, the Communist party accused 'destabilization attempts' as the reason for the widespread violence.

The Union of Southern Nations (UNASUR) expressed on Monday its energetic condemnation of the violent episodes recorded over the last week in Venezuela during conflicting opposition and pro-government marches, and called for the preservation of institutions and democratic principles in the divided nation.

The Organization of American States (OAS), expressed concern on Monday over the possibility that new protests in the streets of the capital of Venezuela “could lead to more acts of violence that would only further separate the positions of the government and the opposition and polarize to an even greater degree the sensitive political moment the South American country is going through.”

Mercosur country members, in an official release rejected all acts of violence and condemned the destabilization attempts against the government of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.

Uruguay will renew the contract for the purchase of Venezuela oil and accept the stake increase of that country in a local bio-fuels corporation during the scheduled visit of President Nicolas Maduro to Montevideo next month; it was announced by the Uruguayan Foreign affairs ministry.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Sunday he was expelling three U.S. consular officials, accusing them of conspiring with the opposition forces to foment unrest as violent protests ran into a fifth straight night. The expulsions come after two weeks of sporadic protests against across the country.

Following the bloody events of last Wednesday, while countries such as Argentina, Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua expressed their full support for the Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro, others were more cautious such as Washington and the Europe Union calling for restraint and dialogue, but Chilean president-elect Michelle Bachelet openly twitted her rejection to repression, to President Maduro and called for a plebiscite.

Twitter said on Friday that Venezuela had blocked images on its service following an anti-government protest that turned bloody, and it offered a workaround for users who want to get tweets via text message on their cell-phones.

Repsol signed a financing deal Friday with Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA that calls for the Spanish energy major to invest 1.2 billion dollars to boost the output of the companies' Petroquiriquire joint venture.