Venezuela governor banned from public office

Former governor of the state of Zulia, Pablo Perez, has 15 days to appeal his 10-year ban on holding public office.

As Perez and his party, Democratic Unity (MUD), announced the ban on Twitter, they did not say if the government had told them why it had been imposed: "The government and the ruling Socialist Party have banned me for 10 years, another attack against democratic dissidence."

Perez was not running for parliament in the December 6 elections.

The MUD opposition coalition said it was planning protests next week, against the barring of political candidates and to press for free and fair elections.

The comptroller's office last week gave year-long bans to former legislator Maria Corina Machado and ex-mayor Vicencio Scarano. They were both standing in the December poll.

Jailed former mayor Daniel Ceballos was banned from holding public office earlier this month. He too was standing for parliament. Ceballos was jailed for failing to break up anti-government protests last year in San Cristobal, the city where he was mayor.

The authorities in Venezuela have disqualified politicians before on the grounds of corruption or lack of full disclosure in wealth declarations.

President Nicolas Maduro has been accused by his critics of clamping down on opposition leaders, and discouraging voters, because of fears he will lose the election.

Maduro has been president of Venezuela since he succeeded former leader Hugo Chavez who died in 2013.

Currency controls, shortages, subsidies and increased regulation have undermined the economy of the oil-rich South American nation, leading to growing popular dissent and opposition to Chavez's government.

jm/gsw (EFE, Reuters)