Hugo Chavez re-elected as Venezuelan president

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been re-elected to another six-year term after defeating opposition leader Henrique Capriles, the electoral council has said.

The 58-year-old Chavez took 54.42% of the vote, with 90% of the ballots counted, to 44.97% for young opposition candidate Capriles, official results showed on Sunday.

Tibisay Lucena, the National Electoral Council president, said 81% of the nearly 19 million registered voters cast ballots, one of the largest turnouts in years.

Chavez won more than 7.4 million votes, beating Capriles by more than 1.2 million votes, Lucena said.

Noisy celebrations among Chavez supporters erupted across the capital, Caracas, following the result.

Chavez said Venezuela would continue its march towards socialism but also vowed he would be a "better president".

"The revolution has triumphed," President Chavez told a cheering crowd from the balcony of the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas.

"Viva Venezuela! Viva the fatherland! The battle was perfect and the victory was perfect," he said.

However, Chavez also sounded a conciliatory note, saying he wanted to "include everybody", adding: "I commit to being a better president than I've been these past few years."

A subdued Capriles congratulated Mr 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.

He added: "We have planted many seeds across Venezuela and I know that these seeds are going to produce many trees."

Jubilant Chavez supporters held impromptu street parties in central Caracas, blaring horns and waving flags.

"I'm celebrating with a big heart - Chavez is the hope of the people and of Latin America," said Chavez supporter Mary Reina.

Construction worker Edgar Gonzalez said: "I can't describe the relief and happiness I feel right now.

"The revolution will continue, thanks to God and the people of this great country."

At the Capriles' campaign headquarters, some opposition supporters were in tears at the news.

Capriles said he hoped Mr Chavez would recognise that almost half the country disagreed with his policies.

Capriles said: "There's a country that is divided and to be a good president means to work for all Venezuelans, to work for the solution of all Venezuelans' problems."

Chavez staged a remarkable comeback after bouncing back from cancer this year and wants a new six-year term to consolidate his self-styled socialist revolution in the OPEC nation."

While his direct connection with masses ensured his re-election, the opposition's big share of the vote reflected a real and growing anger at Chavez's failure to fix basic problems such as violent crime, potholed roads, electricity blackouts, and entrenched corruption at all levels.

Since taking power in 1999, the flamboyant former soldier has become a global flagbearer of "anti-imperialism," gleefully baiting the US government while befriending leaders from Iran to Belarus whom the West views with suspicion.

At home, casting himself as an heir to independence hero Bolivar, Chavez has poured billions of oil revenues into anti-poverty programmes, and skillfully used his humble roots and folksy oratory to build a close connection with the masses.