Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado will be formally charged on Dec. 3 for her alleged involvement in the planned assassination of President Nicolas Maduro.

Ruling Socialist Party leaders in May accused a group of opposition activists, which included Machado, of planning Maduro's assassination in order to set the stage for a U.S.-backed political take over.

Opposition critics dismissed the accusation as a politically-motivated charade based on forged documents.

Machado, a former legislator and high-profile adversary of the government, suggested through her Twitter account that the announcement of her impeding court date was payback for her vocal demands for new leadership at the state elections council.

Machado said, according to an AP article, that the charges made against her are further evidence that the Maduro administration has become a dictatorship, adding: "Maduro is trying to bring chaos to Venezuela, and we are in danger."

In May, prosecutors called her in order to testify as a witness in the case. At the time, Machado dismissed the Socialist Party's accusations as "infamy."

Venezuela’s Socialist Party does have a history of making made high-profile accusations about opponents without providing strong evidence. Adversaries often dismiss such campaigns as political stunts.

Government supporters point out that the opposition in 2002 staged a brief coup against late President Hugo Chavez and launched several national strikes as part of failed efforts to force him from office.

Machado has indeed accepted money from the U.S. government in order to finance a recall effort against Chavez.

In June, shortly after the ruling party stripped her of her Congressional seat, the Venezuelan government barred Machado from leaving the country.

Machado claims the airlines will not sell her tickets even for domestic flights.

Asked about her plans, the opposition leader said she should not be arrested because she is innocent.

"It's clear there is no crime, so how are they going to detain me," said Machado.