The US government has criticized the Venezuelan government over the passing of a jailed opposition figure, calling it a "stark reminder of the abhorrent character" of President Nicolás Maduro's rule.
The former governor died in his detention cell at the El Helicoide detention center in Caracas, where he had been incarcerated for over a year, as stated by rights groups and political opponents.
The officials in Venezuela stated that the former governor showed signs of a heart attack and was transferred to a hospital, where he died on Saturday.
This recent intervention from the United States is part of an intensifying diplomatic spat between the White House and President Maduro, who has accused the US of attempting regime change.
In the past few months, the US has increased its military presence in the Latin America and has carried out a number of deadly operations on boats it claims have been used for moving illegal substances.
US President Donald Trump has claimed Maduro personally of being the chief of one of the region's cartels—an accusation the Venezuelan president vehemently denies—and has threatened military action "on the ground".
"The detainee had been 'unjustly imprisoned' in a 'torture centre'," stated the US foreign policy division.
Díaz was arrested in that year after participating with numerous dissidents to dispute the results of that year's national vote.
Venezuela's government-controlled national electoral body declared Maduro the winner, notwithstanding counts by rivals suggesting their contender had triumphed by a wide margin.
The vote were widely dismissed on the international stage as neither free nor fair, and ignited unrest across the country.
The former governor, who led the coastal region, was indicted of "incitement to hatred" and "extremism" for questioning Maduro's declaration of success.
National advocacy group Foro Penal has voiced worry over worsening conditions for detained dissidents in the country.
"Another jailed opponent has died in Venezuelan jails. He had been held for a twelve months, in solitary confinement," posted Alfredo Romero, the organisation's director, on a social network.
He added that he had only been allowed one meeting from his daughter during the entire length of his incarceration. He added that over a dozen detained dissidents have died in the nation since that year.
Political rivals have also denounced the government over the passing of the former governor.
María Corina Machado, a prominent opposition leader who won this period's Nobel Peace Prize but who stays in concealment to avoid arrest, said that his death was not a one-off event.
"Unfortunately, it joins an disturbing and heartbreaking series of deaths of detained dissidents imprisoned in the context of the post-election suppression," she wrote.
The coalition of rivals said that Díaz "died unjustly".
His own political party, Democratic Action (AD), also honored the politician, noting he had been unjustly detained without due process and had remained in circumstances "that infringed upon his human rights".
Tensions between the US and Venezuela have become progressively worse over what Trump has labeled actions to curb the movement of drugs and migrants into the United States.
Maduro has for his part accused the US of using its drug enforcement efforts as an pretext to remove his socialist government and gain control of Venezuela's enormous crude oil deposits.
The America has also stationed a sizable fleet—its biggest deployment in the area in decades—along with many troops.
In a parallel action, the Venezuelan army according to reports enlisted thousands of soldiers in a mass ceremony on the weekend, in response to what military leaders called US "intimidation".
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