Venezuela protest leader surrenders to police - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Venezuela protest leader surrenders to police - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Venezuelan security forces have arrested Leopoldo Lopez, an
anti-government protest leader, on charges of fomenting unrest that has
killed at least four people.

On Tuesday tens of thousands of protesters stood in the way of the
vehicle carrying Lopez, a 42-year-old Harvard-educated economist, after
he made a defiant speech, bid farewell to his family, and gave himself
up to soldiers. The vehicle eventually reached a military base.

Opposition leaders hope Lopez's arrest will galvanise street
demonstrations against President Nicolas Maduro, though there is no
immediate sign the protests will remove him.

The threat of more violence hung over Tuesday's demonstration as
Maduro, 51, led a rival march to denounce what he calls a "fascist" plot
to overthrow him.

But Lopez's repeated appeals for restraint, a strong police presence
and heavy rain appeared to calm emotions and there were no reports of
major violence.

"I am handing myself over to an unfair justice system," Lopez told
supporters, standing on a platform next to a statue of Cuban poet and
independence hero Jose Marti. "May my imprisonment serve to wake the
people up."