Venezuela bans key opposition leader from running against Maduro

PanARMENIAN.Net - Venezuelan authorities on Friday, April 7 banned a top opposition leader from public office for 15 years, the latest move in an increasingly tense power struggle in the crisis-hit country, AFP reports.

Henrique Capriles was one of the leaders of mass demonstrations this week against socialist President Nicolas Maduro that led to clashes with police. One protester died.

State comptroller Manuel Galindo imposed a "sanction of disqualification from exercising public office for a period of 15 years," his institution said in a ruling made public by Capriles himself.

The ruling said the sanction was due to "administrative irregularities" by Capriles in his post as governor of the northern state of Miranda.

Capriles rejected the move and insisted he would retain his post as governor, branding Maduro a dictator.

"The only one who is disqualified in this country is Nicolas Maduro. They can stick their disqualification where the sun don't shine," he told a news conference.

"If the dictatorship is squealing, it is a sign that we are making progress."

The state authority's move effectively bans Capriles, a lawyer of 44, from running against Maduro in a general election due next year.

If effective, it will remove from the political ring one of the most prominent contenders in the center-right opposition MUD coalition, which is pushing to remove Maduro from office.

Capriles's allies vowed to push ahead with further protests planned for Saturday.