Venezuela’s electoral council says President Hugo Chavez has won re-election, defeating challenger Henrique Capriles.
National Electoral Council president Tibisay Lucena says that with most votes counted, Chavez had about 54 percent of the vote.
It was Chavez’s third re-election victory in nearly 14 years in office. The victory gives Chavez another six-year term to cement his legacy and press more forcefully for a transition to socialism in the country with the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
Brandishing a replica of the sword of independence, Chavez pledged Venezuela would continue its “march towards democratic socialism” and he vowed to be a “better president”.
The United States, which has had strained relations with Chavez, congratulated Venezuela for a high turnout and generally peaceful voting, but said the opposition should also be heard.
“We believe that the views of the more than 6 million people who voted for the opposition should be taken into account going forward,” said state department spokesman William Ostick.
At the Capriles campaign headquarters, opponent Henrique Capriles congratulated Chavez but told opposition supporters not to feel defeated. “I want to congratulate the candidate, the president of the republic,” he said at his campaign headquarters. “We have planted many seeds across Venezuela and I know that these seeds are going to produce many trees. I will continue working to build one country”.