▁coverage ▁to ▁the ▁PS U V ’ s ▁campaign ▁and ▁token , ▁host ile ▁inter views ▁to ▁opposition ▁candidates ". ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁September , ▁one ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁five - person ▁C NE , ▁the ▁pro - opp osition ▁coun c ill or ▁Vic ente ▁Dí az , ▁public ly ▁accused ▁Ch ave z ▁of ▁breaking ▁campaign ▁laws ▁by ▁using ▁state - run ▁television ▁to ▁" ber ate ▁riv als ▁and ▁pra ise ▁friends " ▁during ▁the ▁election ▁campaign . ▁Ch ave z ▁denied ▁breaking ▁the ▁law , ▁and ▁said ▁that ▁Dia z ▁could ▁be ▁pro sec uted ▁for ▁making ▁false ▁accus ations . ▁Dí az ▁requested ▁the ▁C NE ▁open ▁administrative ▁proceed ings , ▁but ▁after ▁extensive ▁internal ▁discussion ▁the ▁C NE ▁decl ined , ▁and ▁Dí az ▁public ly ▁" recogn ised ▁Ch ave z ’ s ▁right ▁to ▁political ▁expression ▁as ▁a ▁citiz en ▁and ▁also ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁of ▁Venezuela ." ▁The ▁opposition ▁elect oral ▁coal ition , ▁Co al ition ▁for ▁Democratic ▁Unity ▁( M UD ) ▁rejected ▁the ▁C NE ▁decision , ▁and ▁said ▁it ▁illustrated ▁C NE ' s ▁lack ▁of ▁independence ▁and ▁willing ness ▁to ▁justify ▁viol ation ▁of ▁elect oral ▁rules . ▁ ▁Camp aign ▁A ▁total ▁of ▁ 6 , 4 6 5 ▁candidates ▁registered ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Elect oral ▁Council ▁by ▁the ▁June ▁dead line . ▁Ar ound ▁ 1 7 . 5 ▁million ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁ 2 8 . 5 ▁million ▁population