Venezuelan opposition activists march to Leopoldo Lopez’ jail | Reuters

By Girish Gupta | LOS TEQUES, Venezuela LOS TEQUES, Venezuela Hundreds of activists marched on Friday to the hilltop jail of Venezuela's best-known detained opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez in the latest of a month of protests against the socialist government.Security forces blocked access to the decrepit-looking penitentiary next to a slum in Los Teques, an hour's drive from the capital Caracas, as the demonstrators shouted "Leopoldo!" and held signs reading "No To Dictatorship!"This month's wave of protests against President Nicolas Maduro's government has led to at least 29 deaths in the worst unrest since 2014 rallies championed by Lopez, who was arrested then and convicted of instigating violence.Venezuela's opposition is demanding elections, autonomy for the legislature where they have a majority, a humanitarian aid channel from abroad to alleviate an economic crisis, and freedom for more than 100 jailed anti-Maduro activists.Supporters say Lopez, the U.S.-educated leader of hardline Popular Will party, and others are political prisoners who symbolize Maduro's lurch into dictatorship. Maduro says all are behind bars for legitimate crimes, and calls Lopez, 45, a violent hothead intent on promoting a coup."This shows yet again the fear Nicolas Maduro has of people in the street," said Popular Will legislator Juan Mejia at the National Guard barriers outside Ramo Verde jail. Some inhabitants of a nearby slum came out of their homes to cheer as the protesters marched by

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