Venezuela’s ruling party has selected President Nicolás Maduro to run as its candidate in the country’s upcoming elections.

Maduro will now seek a third successive term as president in the vote on July 28th.

Al Jazeera reports that the announcement came from Diosdado Cabello who is considered to be the United Socialist Party of Venezuela’s (PSUV) second-in-command.

It adds that a formal PSUV announcement had been scheduled for March 15th.

It was widely expected that Mr Maduro would seek re-election in polls from which his main opposition challenger has been barred from running.