Bishop condemns Venezuela blacklist

Venezuela's Roman Catholic Church is condemning efforts to ban 400 potential candidates—most from the opposition—from running in upcoming elections. Church leaders are joining a chorus of critics of the ban imposed by Comptroller General Clodosbaldo Russian. They say his list of banned candidates is politically motivated and illegal. The comptroller is a confidante of President Hugo Chavez. Archbishop Ubaldo Santana read a statement Monday calling the ban 'a measure that tarnishes the democratic environment' for local elections in November. Santana is the president of Venezuela's conference of bishops. Russian says Venezuelan law allows him to impose the restrictions on potential candidates suspected of corruption.