Venezuela’s government has continued to crack down on opponents with an order to arrest a fifth opposition mayor who has been promoting protests against President Nicolas Maduro.

The government-packed Supreme Court ordered the removal and imprisonment for 15 months of Caracas-area mayor David Smolansky for not obeying orders to shut down protests in his district.

Mr Smolansky issued a video from an undisclosed location, calling on residents of the El Hatillo district to take to the streets on Thursday to uphold their right to representation against what he called the government’s “political firing squad”.

Anti-government demonstrators wave Venezuelan national flags during a protest against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in CaracasAnti-government demonstrators wave Venezuelan national flags during a protest against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas (Wil Riera/AP)

The all-powerful government-organised assembly rewriting the constitution is due to meet again on Thursday.

Delegates are likely to issue a statement condemning the Trump administration’s new sanctions on several of its delegates.