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| Chavez claims Venezuela poll win | Chavez claims Venezuela poll win |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| President Hugo Chavez has declared himself the winner of Venezuela's presidential election, after early results gave him a commanding lead. | President Hugo Chavez has declared himself the winner of Venezuela's presidential election, after early results gave him a commanding lead. |
| The president told a cheering crowd in the capital, Caracas, that the poll had been a triumph for his revolution. | The president told a cheering crowd in the capital, Caracas, that the poll had been a triumph for his revolution. |
| Earlier, election officials announced that he had polled more than 60% of the vote, with more than three-quarters of ballots counted. | Earlier, election officials announced that he had polled more than 60% of the vote, with more than three-quarters of ballots counted. |
| His main opposition rival, Manuel Rosales, has not admitted defeat. | His main opposition rival, Manuel Rosales, has not admitted defeat. |
| The BBC's Greg Morsbach, in Caracas, says it is not clear whether the opposition will try to challenge the outcome or not. | The BBC's Greg Morsbach, in Caracas, says it is not clear whether the opposition will try to challenge the outcome or not. |
| Minutes after the preliminary results were announced, Mr Chavez appeared at the balcony of the presidential palace in Caracas. | Minutes after the preliminary results were announced, Mr Chavez appeared at the balcony of the presidential palace in Caracas. |
| It is a bigger party than New Year's Eve Taxi driver, Caracas "Today, a new era has started, with the expansion of the revolution, of a revolutionary democracy," he told the crowd. | It is a bigger party than New Year's Eve Taxi driver, Caracas "Today, a new era has started, with the expansion of the revolution, of a revolutionary democracy," he told the crowd. |
| Venezuela was firmly on the track to socialism, he added. | Venezuela was firmly on the track to socialism, he added. |
| Street party | Street party |
| Earlier, thousands of Chavez supporters had taken to the streets to celebrate, letting off fireworks and playing pro-Chavez songs over loudspeakers. | Earlier, thousands of Chavez supporters had taken to the streets to celebrate, letting off fireworks and playing pro-Chavez songs over loudspeakers. |
| "That should be the national anthem," one taxi driver from a shanty town told Reuters news agency as he drove around an affluent area of Caracas. | "That should be the national anthem," one taxi driver from a shanty town told Reuters news agency as he drove around an affluent area of Caracas. |
| Vote in pictures Q&A: Venezuela votes | Vote in pictures Q&A: Venezuela votes |
| "People round here do not know what it is like in the slums. It is a bigger party than New Year's Eve." | "People round here do not know what it is like in the slums. It is a bigger party than New Year's Eve." |
| Sunday's election saw a high turnout and the poll was monitored by hundreds of international observers. | Sunday's election saw a high turnout and the poll was monitored by hundreds of international observers. |
| Mr Chavez has secured support from millions of poor Venezuelans by using oil wealth to boost social programmes. | |
| The president - an ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro - won elections in 1998 and 2000. | |
| Another six-year term with a strong majority will give him a clearmandate to scrap presidential term limits, analysts say. | |
| His critics accuse him of concentrating power in his own hands and squandering Venezuela's resources. | His critics accuse him of concentrating power in his own hands and squandering Venezuela's resources. |
| Mr Rosales, governor of the oil-rich western state of Zulia, said the country's long-term interests lie in free-market policies and attracting foreign investment. | Mr Rosales, governor of the oil-rich western state of Zulia, said the country's long-term interests lie in free-market policies and attracting foreign investment. |