Venezuela tackles 'rebel' mayors

Students to march

At least 31 people have died since Feb 12 when three people were shot dead in clashes after an opposition rally in Caracas.

Prosecutors said a municipal worker was killed in the capital by multiple gunshots late on Tuesday as he and others dismantled a street barrier set up by opposition demonstrators.

The protesters are demanding Maduro resign, while the socialist president says his foes want to create chaos and trigger a coup, like the one 12 years ago that briefly ousted his predecessor and mentor, the late Hugo Chavez.

Pro-opposition students said they planned to march in the capital on Thursday, in what will be the latest of daily rallies by both sides around the politically polarized country.

The move against the two mayors comes a day after Congress - dominated by the ruling Socialist Party - voted to ask the state prosecutor to investigate an opposition deputy for crimes including treason in relation to the protests.

Maria Corina Machado, a 46-year-old engineer, has been one of the most visible leaders of the demonstrations.

The move by "Chavista" legislators, which seeks eventually to strip her of her parliamentary immunity, followed the arrest a month ago of hardline opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez.

Along with Machado, Lopez launched a national movement at the start of the year under the banner "The Exit", meaning an end to 15 years of socialist rule. It has seen peaceful marches as well as melees between hooded demonstrators and riot police.

Lopez handed himself in to face charges of fomenting the unrest. A senior colleague from his Popular Will party is on the run after being accused in connection with the violence.

They have called on supporters to continue their street protests against the Maduro government. Protesters are far fewer than those who took to the streets in 2002 to topple Chavez and opposition leaders are deeply divided over the current confrontations.