Voters protest disqualification of Venezuelan candidate

By REGINA GARCIA CANO
Associated Press

BARINAS, Venezuela (AP) — About 500 people have protested in support of a Venezuelan gubernatorial opposition candidate who was retroactively disqualified as the vote count showed him ahead in the home state of the late President Hugo Chávez. The protesters on Saturday insisted they are being robbed of the punishment vote they exercised against the ruling party’s candidate. Under heavy military and police presence, the supporters of Freddy Superlano also denounced Monday’s decision of Venezuela’s highest court to schedule a new gubernatorial election in January. Superlano was ahead in the race against incumbent Argenis Chávez.