Candidates Compete in Venezuela Elections:results

[cal04]

Candidates backed by President Hugo Chavez swept all but two of 23 governorships in Sunday's regional elections, but opposition incumbents in two key states were re-elected, according to preliminary results announced by elections authorities.


Jorge Rodriguez, one of the National Elections Council's four directors, said early Monday that an initial vote count showed that pro-government candidates captured 21 governorships, and Juan Barreto, a Chavez-endorsed candidate, won the Caracas mayor's office.

Staunch government foes, including incumbent Manuel Rosales, the governor of oil-rich Zulia state, and Morel Rodriguez, an opposition candidate in Nueva Esparta state, popularly known as Margarita Island, were victorious.

Many opposition candidates or supporters waited outside polling stations to ensure manual counts of ballots were aboveboard, then waited for results to be announced by the council.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041101/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_elections_5

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14842-2004Nov1.html?nav=rss_world

[bvar22]

1. Real Freedom on the March!

Viva Hugo!
American Corporatists, Fear this populist reform!
It could catch on!

This will end ANY DOUBTS about the legitimacy of Chavez as the ELECTED President of Venezuela.

http://www.alternet.org/story/16255

[burrowowl]

2. Viva Venezuela!

Viva Chavez!

[Judi Lynn]

3. Excellent news! Very glad to see it.

From the Yahoo article:

Opposition leaders had viewed Sunday's vote as an opportunity to end a string of debilitating defeats and get the best of Chavez, a left-winger they accuse of riding roughshod over the country's democratic institutions and becoming increasingly uncompromising, before presidential elections in 2006.

Turn out at voting centers in upscale Caracas districts was steady, but nothing like the blocks-long lines during the recall vote. Lines in poor districts, where support for Chavez is strongest, appeared to be longer than other areas.

The Organization of American States and the Atlanta-based Carter Center, which observed the recall and endorsed the results of the vote, were not present for Sunday's elections. More than 100 observers from fellow Latin American nations oversaw the vote.

Chavez, a self-proclaimed "revolutionary" who has questioned the legitimacy of U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s election victory four years ago, said he was pleased with the voting process.

"I hope (the U.S. government) follows the example of Venezuela's (elections), which are transparent and clean," in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections said Chavez after voting in Caracas.
(snip)

Good for President Chavez. This vote should tell him he's doing o.k. in the eyes of the majority. It was also good to learn the Mayor of Caracas has been replaced by someone decent.

[David__77]

4. Good they got the Caracas mayor race.

The opposition mayor has been openly agitating in favor of a fascist coup for years now.

[bemildred]

5. Pena withdrew (cause he knew he'd lose). nt

Edit: Vheadline has the votes up, they really kicked ass.

[On the Road]

6. Margarita Island and Oil Country

you wouldn't expect to be in Chavez's camp. But everywhere else -- that's a pretty good sweep.