Caracas, June 24 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Another leading organizer of last year’s violent opposition demonstrations in Venezuela that left 43 people dead has been arrested in Caracas.

President Nicolas Maduro made the announcement on national television Tuesday night, showing video evidence to support the claims. Maduro said that Leopoldo D’arta, a lawyer and member of Foro Penal, financed by USAID, was also close to opposition politician Antonio Ledezma, at one stage working as head of his personal security.

Ledezma was arrested earlier this year for his role in the plot to destabilize the democratically elected government of Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro said that D’arta financed Yonny Bolivar – accused of murdering pregnant journalist Adriana Urquiola during a violent barricade set up by demonstrators. Bolivar was captured in Barranquilla, Colombia, with the cooperation of the Colombian government.

Maduro explained that when he was captured he was filmed making a phone call to D’alta. The Venezuelan authorities were already investigating D’alta for financing last year’s violence.

"It's my responsibility to protect Venezuela from these violent groups," Maduro said, though he was clear that actual legal proceedings are not his responsibility. “Now we are going into our twentieth election in 16 years,” Maduro concluded, referring to the country’s national assembly elections in December, and calling for peace.