Venezuela’s cradle of Chavismo picking new gov in vote re-do

By REGINA GARCIA CANO and JUAN PABLO ARRAEZ
Associated Press

BARINAS, Venezuela (AP) — Voters in the home state of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez are casting ballots again in a special gubernatorial election called after the opposition contender in November’s regular contest was retroactively disqualified as he was ahead in the vote count. The contenders in the northwestern state of Barinas on Sunday include a local opposition leader, an opposition dissident and a former foreign minister. For the first time in more than 20 years, the ballot does not include a member of Chavez’s family. Voter Luisa Contreras says she is eager to participate in the election so that the state can move past the disqualification of Freddy Superlano.