Venezuela's opposition set February 12, 2012 as the date to hold elections to select the presidential candidate who will face President Hugo Chávez in the presidential election that will be held at the end of 2012, announced late on Wednesday the opposition umbrella group Democratic Unified Panel (MUD).


The information was disclosed by Ramón Guillermo Aveledo, the MUD executive secretary, who said that, following a meeting with the different parties comprising the opposition coalition, they concluded that February 12, 2012 is the most appropriate date.

According to Aveledo, all the proposals were discussed. He said that the date chosen for primaries "allowed a convergence of different positions."

The opposition leader added that political parties Podemos (For Social Democracy), Primero Justicia (Justice First) and Causa R (The Radical Cause), were the only ones that supported a proposal to hold the primary vote this year.

Aveledo also announced that the elections to choose opposition candidates for mayors and governors will also be held on February 12, 2012 with the exception of those entities where opposition mayors or governors aspire to run for president.
ahernandez@eluniversal.com

Twitter: @alejandramhf

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas