Venezuela’s opposition excluded from election

Venezuela’s main opposition leaders are almost all sidelined from the country’s April 22 presidential election – jailed, driven into exile or barred from office – leaving the coalition likely to boycott the vote

Henrique Capriles, 45 Justice First Lawyer and former governor of Miranda state has twice run for president, narrowly losing to Nicolás Maduro in 2013. Barred from public office for 15 years amid 2017 government crackdown on dissent

Antonio Ledezma, 62 Fearless People’s Alliance Former Caracas mayor put under house arrest in 2015 for alleged coup plotting. Living in exile in Spain after escaping to Colombia

David Smolansky, 32 Popular Will Journalist and former mayor of El Hatillo district, went into hiding in 2017 after being sentenced to 15 months in jail. Escaped across border to Brazil
     
Leopoldo López, 46 Popular Will Former mayor of Chacao district of Caracas, and longtime vocal opponent of leftist government. Jailed in 2014 for inciting anti-Maduro protests. Currently under house arrest after serving three years in prison

Freddy Guevara, 31 Popular Will Congressional vice president at forefront of 2017 anti-government protests. Fled to Chilean embassy in Caracas after being targeted for arrest

Ramón Muchacho, 45 Justice First Former mayor of Chacao district, sentenced to
15 months in jail for failing to suppress anti-Maduro rallies in 2017. Fled to Miami in August


Source: Reuters Pictures: Associated Press      © GRAPHIC NEWS