Chavez’ allies win election majority

By Melissa Bryant
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

According to the Associated Press (AP), Venezuela’s electoral agency has stated that with more than 95 percent of votes counted, opposition candidates won five states in comparison to the 17 by Chavez’ allies.

In the 2004 state elections Chavez allies swept all but two of 23 governorships and a majority of local offices. This year, 22 governorships, 330 mayoral posts and other offices were at stake.

Two hundred and seventy-two would-be candidates, including some prominent opponents of Chavez, were disqualified earlier this year by the country's top anti-corruption official who said they faced corruption accusations.

Pre-election polls had shown Chavez’ candidates leading in a majority of races while the opposition was ahead or in tight races in several other states. Turnout topped 65 percent among the 16.8 million registered voters, a new high for a local election in Venezuela.

Chavez party spokesman Alberto Muller played down the opposition’s resurgence.

“We are the country’s foremost political force. We don’t see an opposition victory on an electoral map painted red,” the spokesman said.

However, opposition leader Manuel Rosales refuted Muller’s statement, deeming the victories as important gains for the anti-Chavez camp.   ~~Adz:Right~~

“What’s important is that the map of Venezuela has started to change,” he said.

After a decade in office, Chavez still enjoys solid popularity and has maintained control of most local posts. But his narrow defeat last year on a referendum that aimed to abolish presidential term limits energised the opposition, which has also sought to capitalise on complaints about rampant crime, corruption and inflation.

Electoral agency chief Tibisay Lucena said polling stations with long lines would stay open until all ballots had been cast.