Venezuela first lady runs for congress; spouse's foe blocked

[brooklynite]

Yahoo News:

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's first lady will run for congress while an opposition leader has been formally barred from the contest.

Election officials rejected former congresswoman Maria Corina Machado's attempt to register as a candidate Monday for congressional elections Dec. 6. Hours later, President Nicolas Maduro announced that his wife, Cilia Flores, would be running for a seat.

Machado, an opposition leader, called the National Elections Council's rejection of her candidacy a grotesque violation of her rights and the rights of all Venezuelans.

She is among the hard-line opposition leaders who called for Maduro to resign last year and helped lead sometimes bloody street protests demanding an end to the South American country's socialist administration. The ruling party stripped her of her congressional seat amid the protests.

Another day in the People's Paradise...

[Angry Dragon]

1. they sound like republicans

[snooper2]

2. I'll wait for our local socialists to tell us why this is awesome and proper

[tammywammy]

3. Obama/CIA made him do it. n/t

[Amishman]

4. don't call the Maduro backers socialists, it is an affront to real socialists

I think despot apologist is a more appropriate term

[Zorra]

5. Maria Corina Machado Barred from Public Office for Failing to Disclose Income

Caracas, July 16, 2015 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan far right leader Maria Corina Machado has been barred from holding public office for twelve months after she neglected to disclose the full extent of her earnings during her term as a congresswoman.
SNIP----
A close ally of various US leaders including ex-president George W. Bush, Machado has founded several NGOs which receive millions in funding from Washington via the National Endowment for Democracy and USAID.
SNIP---
US Undersecretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson responded to the announcement, expressing “concern” for the state of the democratic process in Venezuela, notwithstanding the country’s 18 internationally recognized elections held under the Bolivarian Revolution.

The comment provoked a response from Bolivarian foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez who categorically rejected Jacobson’s interference in Venezuelan affairs.

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/11443

"Respect Venezuelan institutions, respect our democratic life". ~ Bolivarian foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez