The Latest: UN team decries Venezuela human rights situation

CARACAS, Venezuela – The Latest on Venezuela's political crisis (all times local):

5:25 a.m.

The U.N. human rights office says it has unearthed "widespread and systematic use" of excessive force, arbitrary detention and other rights violations against demonstrators and detainees in Venezuela.

Spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani says preliminary findings suggest there are "no signs" that the situation was improving.

The team's analysis found security forces were allegedly responsible for at least 46 deaths, and pro-government armed groups were allegedly responsible for 27 among 124 deaths being investigated in connection with demonstrations against President Nicolas Maduro's government. It said it was unclear who the perpetrators of the other deaths were.

The rights office team said Tuesday that violations included "house raids, torture and ill-treatment of those detained in connection with the protests."

A full report on the team's findings is expected later this month

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12 a.m.

Foreign ministers from 14 nations are meeting in Peru on Tuesday in hopes of finding consensus on a regional response to Venezuela's growing political crisis.

President Nicolas Maduro's all-powerful constitutional assembly is forging ahead on promises to punish the embattled leader's foes.

The assembly was expected to gather at the legislative palace in Caracas for the first time since voting Saturday to remove the nation's outspoken chief prosecutor, a move that drew condemnation from many of the same regional government that are sending representatives to the meeting in Peru's capital.

Peru's president has been vocal in rejecting the new assembly, but the region has found that agreeing on any collective actions has proved tricky. Still, Venezuela is facing mounting pressure and threats of deepening sanctions from trade partners.