Brasilia, June 18 (teleSUR-RHC)-- A delegation of Brazilian senators, headed by former presidential candidate Aecio Neves, will visit Venezuela on Thursday, in a renewed effort to pressure the government to release opposition leaders.

The official visit came after concerns were raised by right-wing parties in the Brazilian Senate regarding human rights in Venezuela. However, reports ahead of their arrival claim the senators will demand the liberation of opposition leaders Antonio Ledezma, Leopoldo Lopez and Daniel Ceballos, both accused by the government of promoting violence in February 2014, leading to the death of 43 civilians.

One of the Brazilian senators, Ronaldo Caiado, is demanding a resolution to expel Venezuela from the South American regional bloc Mercosur in response to the jailing of the opposition leaders.

The delegation is made up by senators from the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) and the Democratic Party (DEM), both opposition parties. No members of governing the Workers Party (PT) will travel with the delegation.

The senators claimed on Tuesday that they had been denied permission to land in Caracas, but they had to rectify this statement on Wednesday, as President Nicolas Maduro's government had in fact authorized their landing. Permission was needed given that the senators would be flying in a military plane. The senators will be greeted upon their arrival by opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.