Venezuela's Supreme Court yesterday ordered opposition electoral officials not to
destroy lists of voters following primary elections, a decision that was promptly
condemned by opposition leaders who vowed to keep voters' identities secret. The court
order was sought by Rafael Velasquez, a mayoral contender who lost in Sunday's primary
and called for the voter lists to be reviewed. But opposition politicians said the
decision appeared to be an attempt to intimidate adversaries of President Hugo Chavez.
Opposition
leader Henrique Capriles was chosen in the primary to challenge incumbent Hugo Chavez
in the upcoming presidential elextion.