CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan legislators yesterday stripped control of a major chunk of Caracas from the  capital’s opposition mayor, the latest move increasing the  power of socialist Presi-dent Hugo Chavez in the OPEC nation.

Lawmakers in the national assembly approved the creation of  a new Caracas district to be governed by an official chosen by  Chavez, weakening opposition Mayor Antonio Ledezma who defeated  a pro-government candidate in November elections.

“They are putting me at the margin of my authority and  powers with the beating they are giving to the constitution,  but we will get back on our feet,” Ledezma told reporters  before the vote. He will now govern mainly opposition-run  municipalities on the outskirts of the city.

Chavez, a strident critic of the United States, has won  repeated elections during his decade in power on a platform of  redistributing oil wealth to the poor and has become the most  visible leader of Latin America’s leftist movements.

Since winning a February referendum that allows him to run  for reelection as often as he likes, the former tank soldier  has begun an aggressive campaign against opponents, arresting  one former ally and stripping control of ports and roads from  opposition governors and mayors who won key posts last year.

Several top opposition politicians are under investigation  on corruption charges and one former presidential candidate is  in hiding to avoid arrest.