as voting began at 10: 00 local time (09: 00 GMT) in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao and Vigo. AFP

• About 13 thousand Venezuelans residents in Spain have the right to participate in these primaries

In Bogotá are enrolled a total of one thousand 16 Venezuelans, 300 thousand Cúcuta and Medellín about 200, they can vote for one of the five registered candidates

BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA (12/FEB72012)-dozens of Venezuelans of two thousand 500 set up on Colombia to participate in primary elections of the opposition in that country today attend three centres of voting in Bogota, Medellin and Cúcuta, according to Alberto Silva, spokesman for the Bureau of Democratic Unity (MUD).

“People has been flowing to the post of vote at expected levels, at least in the case of Bogotá, where a table in a hotel in the North of the city, is located and I have information that the same applies in Cúcuta (North-East, on the border with Venezuela) and Medellín (Northwest)”, said Silva.

In Bogotá “are registered a total of one thousand 16 Venezuelans, 300 thousand Cúcuta and Medellín, approximately 200″ added Silva.

Colombia live about 40 thousand Venezuelan, he calculated the spokesperson of the MUD.

Five candidates aspiring to become the leader of the opposition and of Chávez contender in the presidential elections of October.

The main favourites are the Governors of Miranda (Centre), Henrique Capriles, and Zulia (West), Pablo Perez.

They also attend as candidates Mrs María Corina Machado, Diego Arria Russia and Pablo Medina exsindicalista.

Spain

Venezuelans residents in Spain are going to vote in large numbers in Madrid and other Spanish cities where ballot boxes have been opened to choose the single opposition candidate who will face Venezuela President Hugo Chavez at the polls on October 7.

Luis Rodríguez, Coordinator in Madrid from the electoral commission abroad, he told Efe that the turnout of voters was “excellent.” “It is exceeding all expectations”.

Voting began at 10: 00 local time (09: 00 GMT) in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Vigo, Orense and Mallorca, while that the polls were opened earlier in the capitals of the Canary Islands, La Palma, Tenerife and Las Palmas.

About 13 thousand Venezuelans residents in Spain have the right to participate in these primaries, which, most importantly, – underscored Rodriguez – “is that it is the first time in the history of Venezuela that will make these elections to elect an opposition candidate”.