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Venezuelan Elections: Chavism Wins in Close Vote

Categories: Latin America, Venezuela, Breaking News, Citizen Media, Elections

After more than 5 hours, the CNE (National Electoral Counsel) announced the results [1] [es] of Venezuela's presidential elections. Candidate Nicolás Maduro [2], designated by Hugo Chávez as his successor, won with 50.66% of the votes. Only 230 thousand votes separated him from his opponent Henrique Capriles Radonski, [3] who got a million more votes than in the past October elections when he lost to Chávez.

This count is still missing 1% of the election tables within Venezuela and all of the results from overseas’ votes – close to 60 thousand people. This will close the gap even more between Maduro and Capriles.

Even though the result is officially “irreversible”, the opposition team declared [4] [es] they will not recognize it until all the votes are counted again. Also, they will ask the CNE to review the 3 thousand complaints of election irregularities that haven't been answered, some of them including electoral felonies that gave the government an advantage.

Caracas, Venezuela. 14 de abril, 2013. Foto de Harold Escalona, copyright Demotix [5]

Caracas, Venezuela. April 14th, 2013. Picture by Harold Escalona, copyright Demotix

In his campaign speeches, Nicolás Maduro said he was successful in fulfilling president Chávez's legacy, who passed away in March. He also denounced that Capriles offered him a government pact. On the other side, Capriles cleared out that he will not compromise with “the trickery and corruption”. He also asked for respect for more than 49% of the electorate who supported his cause.

You can read reactions and citizen reports on Twitter under the hashtags #EleccionesVenezuela [6] [es], #Venezuela [7], #Venezuelasomostodos [8][es] (“We are all Venezuela”) and #Maduro [9] among others.

This is just beginning.