Opposition leader: Court should rule

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP):

Venezuela's opposition leader yesterday said that the Supreme Court should rule in a dispute between the opposition and President Hugo Chávez's government over whether the ailing leader's inauguration can legally be postponed.

Opposition leader Henrique Capriles said the constitution is clear that the current presidential term ends on January 10. The president underwent his fourth cancer surgery in Cuba last month and hasn't spoken publicly in a month.

Other opposition leaders have argued that the inauguration cannot legally be put off and that the National Assembly president should take over as interim president if Chávez hasn't returned from Cuba on inauguration day.

Chávez's allies have suggested the inauguration can be delayed past Thursday and carried out at a later date before the Supreme Court.

"There has to be a response by the Supreme Court," Capriles said. "There is no monarchy here, and we aren't in Cuba."