CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelan hardline opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said yesterday she had been barred from public office for a year, a move that could prevent her from becoming a congresswoman if she wins a seat in December’s parliamentary election.
Machado has 15 days to appeal the decision, according to the letter from the comptroller’s office she posted on Twitter. The decision would still allow her to run for parliament.
It was not immediately clear on what grounds she was barred and the comptroller’s office could not be reached to comment. The comptroller’s office has in the past disqualified candidates from holding public office for irregular use of public funds. Opposition leaders say these are excuses to sideline political opponents.
“They’re acting like the dictators they are,” tweeted Machado, a parliamentary candidate in the central Miranda state.
“They should prepare themselves, we’re going to act like the majority we are.” Polls predict Vene-zuela’s struggling socialist government will lose the Dec. 6 parliamentary election amid a scarring recession, spiraling inflation and shortages of basic goods including medicines and corn flour.
Anti-government acti-vists say President Nicolas Maduro is seeking to avoid a bruising defeat by cowering the opposition and altering the playing field.
Daniel Ceballos, a jailed former mayor who is also running for parliament, was similarly banned from holding public office. Local media said he was disqualified for not presenting a sworn wealth declaration.
The MUD opposition coalition also cried foul after the electoral board mandated a minimum of 40 percent of candidates be women a month after the bloc held its primaries.
