Venezuela sets first post-Chavez election for April 14

CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuela announced on Saturday that it will hold a presidential election to succeed late leader Hugo Chavez on April 14 after his political heir took office in a move the opposition rejects.

The national electoral council set the date one day after Nicolas Maduro, Mr Chavez's handpicked successor, was sworn in as acting president in a ceremony largely boycotted by the opposition, which slammed it as unconstitutional.

Shortly after the date was set, the main opposition coalition announced it had chosen Henrique Capriles, who lost to Mr Chavez in the October election, as its unity candidate again, this time to face Mr Maduro.

Mr Capriles wrote on Twitter that he was "grateful" for the offer and would announce soon whether he will accept the nomination. The Miranda state governor was picked by the Democratic Unity Roundtable last year in an unprecedented primary.