Venezuelan opposition politician flees house arrest for Colombia

Former Caracas Mayor and prominent opposition leader Antonio Ledezma has escaped house arrest and fled to Colombia.

Colombian immigration authorities say in a statement that Mr Ledezma entered the country legally on Friday by crossing the Simon Bolivar bridge separating the two countries.

This has embarrassed security forces, who had been keeping close watch over one of the nation's most high-profile opponents of President Nicolas Maduro.

Mr Ledezma was removed as mayor of Caracas and detained in 2015 on charges of plotting to oust Mr Maduro.

After a few months in jail he was released and placed under house arrest due to health issues.

He was one of the leaders of anti-government in protests that rocked Venezuela in 2014 also led to the jailing of other prominent opponents, including Leopoldo Lopez, who remains under house arrest.