Venezuela probes protest abuses

Venezuela’s attorney general, Luiza Ortega Diaz, says 60 cases of alleged human rights abuses during recent street protests are being investigated.

At least 15 officials had been imprisoned in connection with the violence, Ms Ortega said.

She said the unrest had killed 31 people, including six security agents, and left more than 450 injured.

Venezuela accuses “right-wing fascists” of plotting a coup behind the unrest, which started in mid-February.

President Nicolas Maduro says the United States was orchestrating the demonstrations, but the US says it is being used as a scapegoat for Venezuela’s internal problems.

Ms Ortega also said there was a “systematic and planned international attack” against Venezuela, and that it was using human rights as an issue.

But she added that no government official would be excused for their wrongdoing.

‘Police excess’
“Yes, there has been police excess, we won’t deny it and the attorney general’s office is investigating it,” Ms Ortega told local broadcaster Televen.

She said that out of the 461 people injured in the protests, 318 were civilians and 143 were government officials