CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's opposition candidate in next month's presidential elections is criticizing President Hugo Chavez for crying over his loss of freedom.
Chavez choked up on Saturday in an emotional speech, where he said he has endured personal sacrifices for his political project and remembered bucolic days when he roamed free through Venezuela's countryside.
But Henrique Capriles says Chavez should instead shed tears for all the Venezuelan mothers who have lost children to violent crime.
The Justice Ministry says more than 14,000 people were slain last year in Venezuela. The homicide rate is 50 homicides per 100,000 people, one of the highest in the world.
Chavez maintains a lead in most recent polls, but one survey last month put the two candidates roughly even ahead of the Oct. 7 vote.
