CARACAS, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) on Saturday began the process of registering candidates for the upcoming presidential elections to be held on April 22.

"Today the process of registering candidacies for the 2018 presidential elections begins," Tania D'Amelio, head of the CNE, said via Twitter.

D'Amelio invited potential candidates and their parties to register online through the CNE page.

The electoral body will then review and approve or reject the registered candidates by March 1, according to the electoral calendar D'Amelio posted on Twitter.

After that, parties that need to substitute or change their candidates can do so on March 2.

Presidential candidates will campaign from April 2 to 19.

The main opposition coalition has threatened to boycott the poll, as it did during elections for members of the National Constituent Assembly.

Voters residing abroad can register to vote until Sunday.