EL UNIVERSAL

President Hugo Chávez was re-elected Sunday with 61.35 percent of ballots, with 78.32 percent of the votes counted, while his closest rival, single opposition presidential candidate Manuel Rosales gained 38.39 percent of ballots, said Tibisay Lucena, president of the National Electoral Council (CNE) in disclosing the first preliminary official results.

Based on CNE figures, Chávez obtained 5,963,141 ballots (61.35 percent) and Rosales 3,715,292 ballots (38.39 percent).

"The realm of socialism is the realm of Venezuelan future. The victory we have just achieved has no parallel in our history," he claimed.

Chávez branded his triumph as the victory of love, the victory of Bolívar, and the victory of the Bolivarian Venezuela. In his view, his triumph is "undeniable" and "conclusive."

Chávez praised "the whole country with no exemptions whatsoever, and the people, our humble yet great people." He congratulated all voters for their civic behavior and “commitment to the Bolivarian democracy and our Constitution.”

Chávez also showed appreciation "even for the people who did not vote for me, as they have made a display of democratic behavior. We believe it is very positive that the opposition forces forget –I hope that now and forever- of treacherous ambushes and join the process of the new Venezuela."

Chávez hoped the opposition "shows a responsible attitude this time." He stressed that abstention was overwhelmingly defeated by "the highest popular turnout ever in terms of the number of voters in the whole Venezuelan political history."

The re-elected Venezuelan ruler also hailed the National Electoral Council (CNE), the National Armed Force “and particularly the military reserve.” Chávez also praised the role of the chief of the National Armed Force Unified Command (Cufan) Brigadier General Wilfredo Silva, who is also the chief of electoral protection military deployment Plan República.

Further, Chávez thanked foreign electoral observers for "coming from all around the world to witness the great Bolivarian victory."

Meanwhile, Chávez' followers at the presidential palace of Miraflores were chanting their traditional slogan: "Hey, hey, Chávez is here to stay".

Translated by Maryflor Suárez
msuarez@eluniversal.com