Venezuelans re-elect Chavez with overwhelming voter turn out

Re-elected President Hugo Chávez. Image: José Cruz/ABr.

The incumbent president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, has been re-elected for a fourth term as the country's president with a 54.66% share of the vote in the presidential election held Sunday.

Chávez gave these remarks from the presidential palace: "Truthfully, this has been the perfect battle, a democratic battle. Venezuela will continue its march toward the democratic socialism of the 21st century."

Chávez's main competitor in the election, Henrique Capriles Radonski, from the Primero Justicia (Justice First) party, got 44.73% of the vote.

Radonski promised a shift towards more of a business-friendly stance: "Those who want progress, jobs, well-managed companies, somewhere we can develop small and medium businesses…everyone who wants that kind of country, come and join my bus for progress".

Turnout for the election was 81%.