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Washington (AFP)

The United States on Wednesday condemned what it said was Venezuelan government "involvement" in the fatal fall from a window of an opposition activist who was in custody.

"The United States condemns the Maduro regime's involvement in the death of Venezuelan opposition councilman Fernando Alban," the White House said.

Alban, a 52-year-old Caracas city council member accused of taking part in a failed drone attack on President Nicolas Maduro, was in pretrial detention Monday at the time of his death.

Authorities said he committed suicide by jumping from a 10th-floor window of the headquarters of the state intelligence services after asking to go to the bathroom.

The death sparked expressions of concern by the United Nations and the European Union, both of which called for a probe. The US embassy in Caracas said the death was "suspicious."

President Donald Trump, who has previously shown little interest in Latin America beyond trade relations and border issues with Mexico, is increasingly focusing on Venezuela.

The administration is ramping up criticism of Maduro, whose authoritarian socialist government is struggling to manage the fallout from economic collapse in the once wealthy country.

In domestic politics, Trump has also made Venezuela a byword for left-wing chaos in his near daily attacks on the Democratic Party ahead of US congressional elections next month.

The White House statement on Wednesday said "the Trump Administration will continue to increase pressure on the Maduro regime and its insiders until democracy is restored in Venezuela.

"The United States calls for the immediate release of all Venezuelan political prisoners, and for the Maduro regime to take direct, credible steps to reestablish democracy in Venezuela and to prevent further suffering and bloodshed."

Maduro accuses the United States of manipulating the opposition in his country and seeking to oust him.

In the ongoing war of words, Trump said in September that the "repressive regime" in Caracas "could be toppled very quickly by the military if the military decides to do that."

© 2018 AFP