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The leader of a popular opposition party in Venezuela has been found dead, with party leaders accusing the government of his death.

What’s the deal: According to officials from the Venezuelan opposition party ‘Voluntad Popular,‘ Edwin Santos, a local leader and co-founder, was found dead on a bridge connecting the states of Apure and Tachira, two days after being detained by state security forces. Witnesses stated that security agents intercepted Santos while he was traveling to the community of El Pinal in Tachira state. The party confirmed that he had been held at the headquarters of Venezuela’s military counter-intelligence agency in Guasdualito before his body was discovered.

Accusations against the government: Officials within Voluntad Popular have publicly accused the Venezuelan government of murdering Santos as a targeted act of political retaliation. In a statement, the party said, “What happened to Edwin Santos confirms the continuation of policies of repression, persecution and murder by a criminal regime.” The party added, “Witnesses in the region confirmed that he was intercepted by state security agents.”

Edmundo Gonzalez, who is considered the duly elected president of Venezuela but was denied power after votes were rigged, said, “The regime persists in blocking political change, committing more and more human rights violations and crimes against humanity. Democrats, within and outside Venezuela, must work together to have the Venezuelan people’s sovereign mandate respected.”

Leopoldo Lopez, another opposition official, said, “Yesterday, we denounced the kidnapping of Edwin Santos by the Maduro dictatorship. Today, he appeared dead. He was MURDERED, we have no doubt that this was a political crime.”

Adriana Pichardo, another party official, added, “During the past few months he had fought for his community, denouncing the collapse of the bridge that links Apure with [the neighbouring state of] Tachira. It was on that bridge that he was found dead this morning.”

The Venezuelan government has not commented on Santos’s death.