Brazil and Colombia voice concern as Venezuela bans opposition candidate

South American neighbours respond to blocking of Corina Yoris, who was favoured to beat strongman Nicolas Maduro in elections

A chorus of Latin American nations, including Brazil and Colombia, have voiced concern over the deteriorating political situation in Venezuela after the opposition politician best-positioned to challenge its strongman leader, Nicolas Maduro, in July's presidential election was prevented from registering for the vote.

Corina Yoris, an 80-year-old philosopher, was little-known outside academic circles until last Friday, when she was catapulted on to the frontline of Venezuela's long-running political crisis by being named as the substitute for Maria Corina Machado, a prominent opposition figure who had been banned from running in the election.