Venezuela's opposition leader Henrique Capriles condemned on Friday the Supreme Court's ruling to allow Vice President Nicolas Maduro to be sworn in as acting president and run for president without leaving his office as a constitutional fraud.

Maduro was officially sworn in as acting president Friday night, following the death of President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday.

"While the country is mourning, the Supreme Court issues a judgment with political content, constitutional fraud, and I think it is important that the world knows these abuses," Capriles told a press conference.

But the court argued that its verdict was made based on Article 233 of the Constitution, saying, "The executive vice president becomes acting president and ceases his previous post."

"The electoral organization can admit the acting president to participate in the presidential election," the verdict added. "During the electoral process of electing the president, the acting president is not obliged to withdraw from the post."

Capriles refuted the ruling by evoking Article 57 of the Electoral Process Law that stipulates only candidates running for offices they are holding do not have to leave their posts.

The vice president, he said, after calling a new election and setting a date for application, should leave his post and register as a full-time presidential candidate.

He also urged the court to respect the will of the people, saying only the people have the right to decide who will be the president.

The opposition leader also appealed the government not to use its institutional privilege in the coming election.

Capriles lost to Chavez in the presidential elections last October.

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