Venezuelan Opposition Proposes Criminal as Presidential Candidate

Venezuelan opposition party Un Nuevo Tiempo (A New Era), or UNT, has confirmed that it will propose Manuel Rosales as its candidate for president in the December 2012 elections.

Rosales is a former governor of Zulia and mayor of Maracaibo. He ran against Hugo Chavez in previous elections and lost by a wide margin. The united opposition approval body "Mesa de la Unidad" (Coalition for Unity), has yet to approve him. Other candidates have also been proposed.

The Mesa de la Unidad drew controversy to itself when Jose Sanchez, a known murderer, and Biaggio Pilieri, who was indicted for corruption, were accepted as members.

Interpol, or the International Criminal Police Organization, has an arrest warrant for Rosales. He left Venezuela to live in Peru after being charged with corruption in 2009. Rosales failed to appear for trial, clearly showing that he has something dirty to hide.

It is also known that Rosales met with Colombian terrorists and drug traffickers (who have admitted meeting him) to pay them to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and create chaos in Venezuela.

The opposition is demanding immunity for their candidates who were accused of crimes, but their demands have been rejected because the crimes were committed before they were sworn in.

Hugo Chavez will run as the candidate representing the parties taking part in the Bolivarian Revolution.