Spain's Popular Party says that the father of prominent Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López will run in the conservative party's ballot for a seat in the European Parliament at the end of May.

The senior Leopoldo López has Spanish nationality. He has campaigned from Madrid against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and for the release of his son from house arrest.

A party statement on Thursday said he will be running in the 12th position in the May 23-26 election.

The Popular Party currently has 16 lawmakers in the Strasbourg-based bloc's chamber.

Leopoldo López, the son, is the leader of the self-described social democrat Voluntad Popular party in Venezuela.

He is also the mentor of Juan Guaidó, who leads the opposition's efforts to remove Maduro from power.