Riots, looting in Venezuela; leaders held

Caracas : Venezuelan authorities said Friday they had arrested two opposition youth leaders, the latest move in a crackdown against ongoing anti-government protests that have left five people dead.

Thursday night saw the latest eruption of riots in a country hit by food shortages, as protesters in a town near the capital threw Molotov cocktails and police fired tear gas.

Jose Sanchez and Alejandro Sanchez were arrested "for organizing terrorist acts and assaults against the peace of the country," Interior Minister Nestor Reverol wrote on Twitter.

The two are youth leaders of the Justice First party, one of the main groups in the center-right coalition pushing for Socialist President Nicolas Maduro to be removed from office.

Venezuelan authorities drew international criticism last week for banning the party's most prominent figure, Henrique Capriles, from public office for 15 years.

Reverol said the two detainees "confessed to taking part in this week's violence."

The latest in more than a week of violent clashes erupted overnight Thursday to Friday in the town of Los Teques near the capital.

Protesters mounted barricades and hurled Molotov cocktails, and police fired tear gas, photographs on social media showed.

Capriles, governor of the surrounding Miranda state, said 15 shops were looted, including several bakeries.

Speaking at a news conference, he alleged that "all the acts of vandalism" were ordered by the government.

The pro-government mayor of Los Teques, Francisco Garces, on Twitter blamed the looting on "violent opposition factions."