Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez hit the big time interviewed on the Spanish language channel at CNN watched by millions

Caracas Daily Journal (Jeremy Morgan): Having raised the issue of Comptroller General Clodosbaldo Russian's ban on 386 people from running in the elections with United States presidential hopeful Barack Obama, the next step for opposition Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez was to take it big time to the television audience. On Tuesday, he was interviewed on the Spanish language channel at CNN, watched by millions. He noted that the "hot potato" of the ban was with the Supreme Justice Tribunal (TSJ), and tried to put the judges on the spot by saying they had to agree with his against or go outside the law. For his part, Russian said he would continue applying sanctions and there was nothing new about the ban. It was based on laws dating back to 2002, 1995, 1984 and 1965, he added. While Lopez, who's on Russian's list, focused on the ban, other opposition contenders set about the government's record. Oscar Perez of the Social Christian party, Copei, went to Sucre, east Caracas, where he hopes to be mayor, to tell the government to halt crime once and for all.