Lawyers: Ruling in favor of Leopoldo López must be observed

A group of 37 renowned Venezuelan and foreign jurists said on Wednesday that the Venezuelan government is obliged to abide by the ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR Court), which enables the leader of opposition Voluntad Popular political party and candidate to primary elections Leopoldo López to run for public office since September 16.

Attorney Alfredo Morles, a former president of the National Academy of Political and Social Sciences, on behalf of the 37 lawyers who signed the document, said that according to the Venezuelan law and international agreements signed by Venezuela, "the ruling that allows López to run in the presidential elections to be held in 2012 has a constitutional status and it must be applied directly by the branches of government to which the IACHR Court gave a direct mandate."

They added that the National Electoral Council (CNE) must immediately lift the "Code 8" status of Leopoldo López. Reference was made to the code used in the Venezuelan electoral system to identify people subject to political disqualification.