By Marianela Jimenez (CP) – 1 hour ago

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez said Monday he will testify at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights that an ally of President Hugo Chavez is illegally blocking opposition politicians from participating in elections.

Lopez was leading in polls ahead of 2008 municipal elections and preparing to run for the Caracas mayor's office when he was blocked from running by Venezuela's Comptroller General Clodosbaldo Russian, who opened a corruption probe against him.

Lopez said Russian, the South American country's top anti-corruption official, is targeting those who oppose Chavez with corruption or fraud investigations to prevent them for running for political office.

"Of all the politicians barred from running for office, almost 80 per cent are people not fond of the government," Lopez told The Associated Press. "This is a very clear and systematic practice against people who had clear chances of winning mayorships, governorships and even posts in the National Assembly."

Lopez, 39, said 575 politicians have been blocked by Russian and that he fears the same strategy will continue to be used for political purposes.

The Inter-American court will have to determine whether the Venezuelan government violated the right to be elected of hundreds of opposition leaders, Lopez said.

In Caracas, Russian told state television that the court has no authority to address the issue because "it's not about a violation to human rights, but simply a constitutional mandate for the Comptroller to ensure the management of public funds."

Russian criticized the court saying it "represents the interests of the right and far right."

Lopez, who will testify Tuesday and Wednesday, said that if the court rules in his favour, he will plan to run in 2012 presidential elections.

A former Caracas district mayor, Lopez recently launched a new political party.

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