Venezuela tension rises as government arrests rivals

Venezuelan authorities Thursday said they arrested four opponents of President Nicolas Maduro for plotting an armed revolt, while the opposition accused him of using intimidation to cling to power. The arrests raised tension in the volatile South American country after Maduro launched an "anti-coup commando squad" led by his new hardline vice president, Tareck El Aissami. That was a response to opposition lawmakers' latest efforts to remove Maduro over an economic crisis that has caused food shortages and deadly riots. More…