CARACAS, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Venezuela's Supreme Justice Tribunal said on Monday it has suspended the results of an opposition presidential primary that took place this month, despite an electoral deal between the government and the opposition that allows each side to choose its candidate. The opposition and the primary's winner Maria Corina Machado have insisted repeatedly the Oct. 22 vote was transparent and fair. Both the investigation and the ruling come at the request of lawmaker Jose Brito, who the court said wanted to participate in the primary. The ruling "temporarily suspends the primary until there is a final decision from the tribunal," said lawyer and university professor Jose Vicente Haro. Some observers said the opposition parties that participated in the primary should simply recognize Machado once again as their unity candidate, making any ruling on the contest moot.

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Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Maria Corina Machado, Jose Brito, Brito, Machado, Jose Vicente Haro, Mayela Armas, Vivian Sequera, Matt Spetalnick, Julia Symmes Cobb, Jonathan Oatis, Bill Berkrot Organizations: U.S . State Department, State Department, National, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, United States, Maduro, Barbados, Caracas, Washington