Ojeda, 56, a political columnist with the daily El Clarín and a longtime activist with the opposition Democratic Action Party, was found in a vacant lot, shot in the head, gagged, hooded, and with his hands tied, according to local investigators.

The journalist's vehicle was found 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the scene. The daily El Nacional said Ojeda was driving the previous afternoon when his vehicle was intercepted by unidentified assailants. His belongings did not appear to have been taken, the police said.

Local journalists said Ojeda's columns focused on local politics. Venezuelan prosecutors said they were considering the victim's journalism as a possible motive, local press reports said.