Capriles to run in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles announced Sunday night that he will run in elections to replace Hugo Chavez, launching what many consider a doomed candidacy with an attack against a government he said had betrayed Venezuelans’ trust.

Capriles slammed the government in his announcement for using Chavez’s death to push the candidacy of Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in as acting leader Friday. He also called top military brass an “embarrassment” for publicly supporting Maduro.

“Don’t fool yourselves that you’re the good and we’re the bad,” the 40-year-old candidate said to the government. “No, you’re no better than us. I don’t play with death. I don’t play with pain.”

With a picture of Chavez behind him, Maduro appeared on TV after the speech to respond to what he said was “the losing, miserable candidate” who had dishonored the late president. He called Capriles a “fascist” trying to provoke violence and a coup against the state.

“We reject an infamy that you plan to hurl and the words you’ve said about the crystalline, pure image of Commander Chavez,” Maduro said. “Enough of the offenses, sir!”

Capriles, who is governor of Venezuela’s biggest state, acknowledged that he faces tough odds against an official candidate in control of vast public resources who he said has the backing of the country’s electoral commission.

Venezuela’s election commission has set the vote for April 14.