Venezuela's main opposition coalition blocked from election
By Vanessa Buschschlüter
Venezuela’s main opposition coalition says its candidate has been blocked from July’s presidential election.
The opposition Unitary Platform (PUD) said it was unable to access the electoral council website to register its candidate, Corina Yoris.
It is the latest setback for the PUD, whose leader, María Corina Machado, has been barred from running for office.
Polls have suggested that if the election was free and fair, Ms Machado could beat President Nicolás Maduro.
Ms Machado, 56, made headlines in October when the notoriously divided opposition united behind her. She received more than 90% of votes in a primary election organised by the opposition.
The primary was denounced by the government of President Maduro as illegitimate and Ms Machado and members of her Vente Venezuela party have been targeted by the authorities since her overwhelming win.
Several regional campaign officials have been jailed over the past months.
And only last week, arrest warrants were issued for her campaign manager and eight other staffers, who have been accused of taking part in a conspiracy to overthrow President Maduro.
