Ch谩vez opponent can run for president, but can't take office, says court
| Caracas, Venezuela
A popular Venezuelan opposition leader is able to run for president but will not be allowed to take power if elected, thanks to a decision made by the country鈥檚 Supreme Court. The move disregards an international court ruling and could help President Hugo Ch谩vez split an already fragmented opposition before next year鈥檚 vote.
Leopoldo L贸pez has been fighting the government鈥檚 decision to ban him from public office for three years, having taken his case to the Inter-American Court for Human Rights in February. The Costa Rica-based court ruled in his favor a month ago. However, Venezuela鈥檚 Supreme Court has defied the decision, insisting that Mr. L贸pez is free to run but not free to take any public office should he win.
However, he remains rebellious. 鈥淚 am a candidate,鈥� L贸pez told the Monitor. 鈥淚 will run and I will win the primaries.鈥�
L贸pez has already fought long and hard for what may ultimately be a Pyrrhic victory for the opposition. His defiance will worry many opposed to Mr. Ch谩vez who were looking forward to the selection of Henrique Capriles Radonski 鈥� a state governor who appears to be Ch谩vez鈥檚 first real competition during 12 years in power 鈥� in February鈥檚 primaries ready for elections less than a year away.
L贸pez insists that his decision to run will not jeopardize opposition unity. 鈥淭his is a decision in the hands of the people,鈥� L贸pez said, dodging suggestions that by continuing his campaign, he will add to the opposition鈥檚 notorious lack of unity and organization.
The news has forced a risky situation for L贸pez's supporters, according to Luis Vicente Leon, a local political analyst and president of polling firm Datanalisis. 鈥淭his is absolutely stupid,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he people may favor L贸pez but they have to avoid any risk [of his being ineligible for office] so they will not want to vote for him in the primaries.鈥�
L贸pez suffers from allegations of corruption, though he has never faced trial, which has led some to suspect that the disqualification is politically motivated. The charges stem from the late 1990s when L贸pez鈥檚 mother was in charge of state oil firm Petr贸leos de Venezuela鈥檚 public affairs office. Part of her job was to authorize donations to charities and civic groups. One grant went to Primero Justicia (Justice First), a judicial reform advocacy group and political movement to which her son belonged.
L贸pez was mayor of Chacao, a wealthy Caracas neighborhood for two terms beginning in 2000. As his tenure came to an end in 2008, L贸pez looked set to win the mayoralty of Caracas with a 65 percent lead in the polls. But the Venezuelan government declared him 鈥渋nhabilitado鈥� 鈥� ineligible for public office 鈥� along with 300 other Venezuelan politicians.
The presidential race has been ramped up by rumors of the president鈥檚 ill health. Despite chemotherapy and repeated rumors that Ch谩vez is much worse than is being made out, he continues playing up his indefatigable public persona by calling up state television, tweeting regularly, and theatrically parading in front of the press at every opportunity.
The presidential election is set for Oct. 7, 2012.
