Caracas, September 12 (teleSUR-RHC)-- The Venezuelan government rejected comments by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday’s ruling by a Venezuelan court that found opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez guilty of inciting violence that led to the deaths of 43 people in 2014.

Kerry had written: “The United States is deeply troubled by the conviction and sentencing of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez.  The decision by the court raises great concern about the political nature of the judicial process and verdict, and the use of the Venezuelan judicial system to suppress and punish government critics.  Since Mr. Lopez’s arrest and imprisonment in February of 2014, we have underscored our concern with the charges brought against Mr. Lopez — which we consider illegitimate — and we have repeatedly called for his release and for the release of all Venezuelans who are imprisoned for political reasons.”

Lopez, aside from his involvement in the violence last year, also supported the short lived coup against former President Hugo Chavez in 2003.

“The U.S. persists in destabilizing legitimate and constitutional governments, employing agents and terrorist violence. Venezuela’s legal system is an issue that no other country is qualified in … Like this, Kerry is stepping all over the small steps that (Venezuela and the U.S.) have taken to regularize their bilateral relations,” the Venezuelan government said.

Venezuela argued that the U.S. “persists in perpetrating coups,” noting how 42 years ago, it helped overthrow the socialist government in Chile of Salvador Allende. “We demand the U.S. government respect (us) and stop involving itself in the internal affairs of Venezuela,” the statement read.