( CNN ) -- The mayor of Venezuela 's capital on Tuesday was completing his fifth day of a hunger strike in protest of what he called harassment and interference from President Hugo Chavez . Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma , shown in February , alleges many of his duties have been illegally usurped . Antonio Ledezma , mayor of Caracas , has been carrying out his protest inside the offices of the Organization of American States , where his demand was for the inter-American body to investigate allegations of illegal power-grabbing moves by the federal government . The secretary general of the OAS , Jose Miguel Insulza , responded to the mayor in a phone conversation Tuesday , Ledezma adviser Milos Alcalay said in a news conference . Insulza agreed to meet with a group of mayors and governors of Venezuela who have made similar allegations against the Chavez government , Alcalay said . `` Respectfully , but categorically , [ Ledezma ] described a series of instances ... of increasing harassment in a systematic manner by the central power against the metropolitan mayor , '' Alcalay said . Politically , Caracas is split into five districts , each with its own mayor , and the city also has a metropolitan mayor who coordinates and oversees police , health and education . Chief among Ledezma 's complaints was the creation in April of a `` head of government '' who , appointed by Chavez , took over many of the metropolitan mayor 's duties in addition to offices and budget . As a result , Ledezma said his office does not have enough money left to pay all of his staff . Several workers from the mayor 's office joined him in the hunger strike , according to the mayor 's Web site . The president 's supporters argue that the constitution gives the federal government the responsibility of administrating the capital . But in televised remarks last week , Ledezma held a copy of a law that dictates the duties that his office is supposed to hold . `` This law has been violated over and over again by the current government , '' Ledezma said . Ledezma is not the only opposition politician who has complained of being strong-armed by Chavez . Manuel Rosales , a former governor and presidential challenger to Chavez , fled the country in April after Chavez accused him of corruption . Rosales denied the charges . Earlier this year , former Venezuelan Defense Minister Raul Baduel , a Chavez ally-turned-critic , was arrested twice on charges that he stole $ 14 million from the armed forces . Baduel has denied the allegation and called the charges politically motivated .
Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma alleges his power was illegally diminished . Venezuela 's president created a post that took many of Ledezma 's duties . Ledezma goes on hunger strike , asks Organization of American States for probe . Comment: OAS secretary-general to meet with Ledezma , other unhappy mayors .