Former Chacao Mayor Leopoldo López attends the second session of the Court hearing (Handout photo)

In the second session of a public hearing where the political disqualification of former Chacao mayor Leopoldo López is discussed, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) requested the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to condemn Venezuela for violating the American Convention on Human Rights. The Commission said that the Venezuelan State violated Articles 8, 23 and 25 of the American Convention on Human Rights.

The defense attorney of the former Chacao took the floor and argued that "the disqualifications seriously deteriorate and weaken democracy and represent a tool to disqualify opposition leaders. The Venezuelan State is the entity that chooses the candidates, bypassing the people's will and promoting fraudulent elections."

With reporting by Juan Francisco Alonso

Source: ElUniversal.com