CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The wives of two Venezuelan opposition mayors ousted during anti-government protests have won landslide victories in special elections to choose their husbands’ replacements.
Patricia Gutierrez carried the western city of San Cristobal with 73 percent of the votes Sunday, while Rosa Brandonisio won in San Diego with 87 percent.
Brandonisio’s husband, Enzo Scarano, was sentenced by Venezuela’s Supreme Court in March to more than 10 months in prison after President Nicolas Maduro likened the mayor’s refusal to remove street barricades set up by protesters to a coup.
Gutierrez’s spouse, Daniel Ceballos, received a year in jail.
Both cities saw some of the worst violence during this year’s unrest, in which 42 people have been killed.
Maduro warned on Sunday that his government may have to intervene again if tensions resume.
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