Venezuelan authorities on Friday banned top opposition leader Henrique Capriles from political office for 15 years, the latest move in an increasingly tense power struggle in the crisis-hit country.

The state comptroller imposed a "sanction of disqualification from exercising public office for a period of 15 years," the body said in a ruling, effectively banning Capriles from running against socialist President Nicolas Maduro in a general election due next year.