VENEZUELA: Hugo Chavez wins landslide re-election as Venezuelan president

With a cry of "long live the revolution," anti-U.S. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez won re-election in a landslide after his challenger conceded on Sunday (December 3). 52-year-old won a mandate to press his self-styled socialist revolution in his next six-year term and forge an anti-U.S. front in Latin America to counter what he calls the superpower's "imperialism." "I invite all of you to join this great battle and invite you to continue responding to the demanding critics of the revolution - education, health and employment and the best quality of life for all the Venezuelan family," Chavez shouted from the balcony of the presidential palace. Critics, including Washington, who regard Chavez as a threat to regional democracy and stability, fear the Cuba ally will be emboldened to buy arms and influence with an oil bonanza from high prices in the heavyweight OPEC member. The National Electoral Council said Chavez won 61 percent, while Manuel Rosales, a governor of an oil-producing province who united the opposition, trailed with 38 percent after 78 percent of the vote had been counted. Dressed in his signature red shirt, Chavez celebrated by raising his right fist and singing the national anthem on a balcony at the presidential palace. Chavez, who has called President George W. Bush a "donkey," "drunkard" and "Satan", dedicated his victory to ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Waving red-blue-and-yellow national flags, supporters chanted "Chavez isn't leaving" as fireworks crackled in the air and soldiers hugged to celebrate the ex-paratrooper's win. "We recognise they beat us today but we will continue the fight," said Rosales, 53 and a father of 10 who drew his main support from the middle and upper classes in the polarised nation. Chavez, who is called "El Comandante" by his fervent followers, has vowed to use a fresh mandate to scrap presidential term limits and create a single-party that he expects to lead in power for decades.

ITN Source | December 4, 2006

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