Aide to Venezuela opposition candidate fired amid corruption talk

(Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles kicked a top aide off his campaign on Thursday after vague corruption accusations by government leaders, potentially harming his bid to unseat socialist President Hugo Chavez.

Pro-Chavez legislators showed a grainy video of the aide receiving an envelope that they said contained cash that could be used to finance the opposition's campaign or to pay bribes.

The incident threatens to link Capriles with the OPEC nation's decades-long tradition of bribery and embezzlement of oil revenue just three weeks before the October 7 election.

It comes a day after several people were hurt when supporters of both sides fought and threw rocks ahead of a campaign stop by Capriles, heating up a campaign already marred by sporadic clashes and virulent insults.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/13/us-venezuela-election-idUSBRE88C1DX20120913