Henrique Capriles Radonski. Photo: sanblogs83.

Henrique Capriles (Radonski), the Venezuelan opposition leader who lost to Hugo Chavez in the country’s election last year, will run again for president in the wake of Chavez’s death from cancer last week. Capriles is Catholic, but he is also the grandson of Jewish survivors of the Treblinka concentration camp. He faced anti-Semitic taunts during his previous campaign against Chavez.

Capriles, who is part of the conservative Primero Justicia (First Justice) party, will run against Chavez’s handpicked successor, Nicolas Maduro. Election day is April 14. If he wins, Capriles wants to reduce Venezuela’s relations with governments he considers controversial, such as Iran, and to improve his country’s relations with the U.S.

“This election is not going to be about Capriles versus Maduro, it’ll be Capriles against Chavez’s ghost,” said a Western diplomat in Caracas, according to Reuters.