Venezuela political crisis: Opposition parties cannot participate in next presidential election, says Nicolas Maduro

Caracas: Venezuela’s leading opposition parties cannot take part in next year’s presidential election because they did not take part in Sunday’s local voting, President Nicolas Maduro said, in a move set to further consolidate his grip on power.

That includes the groups of Henrique Capriles, Leopoldo Lopez and others, Maduro said after voting. “That’s what the National Constituent Assembly set out,” he said, referring to the Maduro-allied special powers legislature.