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| Chavez wins chance of fresh term | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Venezuelans have voted to lift limits on terms in office for elected officials, allowing President Hugo Chavez to stand for re-election. | Venezuelans have voted to lift limits on terms in office for elected officials, allowing President Hugo Chavez to stand for re-election. |
| With 94% of votes counted, 54% backed an end to term limits, a National Electoral Council official said. | With 94% of votes counted, 54% backed an end to term limits, a National Electoral Council official said. |
| Mr Chavez has said he needs to stay in office beyond the end of his current term in 2012 so he can secure what he calls Venezuela's socialist revolution. | |
| Critics say that would concentrate too much power in the presidency. | Critics say that would concentrate too much power in the presidency. |
| "The doors of the future are wide open," Mr Chavez shouted from the balcony of the Miraflores presidential palace after the results were announced. | "The doors of the future are wide open," Mr Chavez shouted from the balcony of the Miraflores presidential palace after the results were announced. |
| "In 2012 there will be presidential elections, and unless God decides otherwise, unless the people decide otherwise, this soldier is already a candidate." | "In 2012 there will be presidential elections, and unless God decides otherwise, unless the people decide otherwise, this soldier is already a candidate." |
| Crowds of the president's supporters filled in the streets, letting off fireworks, waving red flags and honking car horns. | Crowds of the president's supporters filled in the streets, letting off fireworks, waving red flags and honking car horns. |
| 'Revolution saved' | 'Revolution saved' |
| The BBC's Will Grant in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, says this was the kind of strong confirmation of his socialist agenda at the polls that Mr Chavez had been seeking. This has been the most unequal, the most abusive campaign of all Leopoldo LopezOpposition leader Tough times ahead for Chavez | The BBC's Will Grant in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, says this was the kind of strong confirmation of his socialist agenda at the polls that Mr Chavez had been seeking. This has been the most unequal, the most abusive campaign of all Leopoldo LopezOpposition leader Tough times ahead for Chavez |
| "This victory saved the revolution," said Gonzalo Mosqueda, a 60-year-old shopkeeper, sipping rum from a plastic cup outside the palace. | "This victory saved the revolution," said Gonzalo Mosqueda, a 60-year-old shopkeeper, sipping rum from a plastic cup outside the palace. |
| "Without it everything would be at risk - all the social programs, and everything he [Chavez] has done for the poor," he told AP. | "Without it everything would be at risk - all the social programs, and everything he [Chavez] has done for the poor," he told AP. |
| More than 11 million voters out of almost 17 million who were eligible took part in Sunday's referendum, said the head of the electoral body, Tibisay Lucena. | More than 11 million voters out of almost 17 million who were eligible took part in Sunday's referendum, said the head of the electoral body, Tibisay Lucena. |
| International observers said the ballot was free and fair, and opposition leaders were quoted as saying they would not contest the vote. | International observers said the ballot was free and fair, and opposition leaders were quoted as saying they would not contest the vote. |
| Even so, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez told the BBC's Newshour programme earlier on Sunday that the campaign had been heavily weighted towards Mr Chavez. | Even so, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez told the BBC's Newshour programme earlier on Sunday that the campaign had been heavily weighted towards Mr Chavez. |
| "In 10 years we have had 15 elections, 15, and this has been the most unequal, the most abusive campaign of all. | "In 10 years we have had 15 elections, 15, and this has been the most unequal, the most abusive campaign of all. |
| "So that's why you are seeing more propaganda, more campaigning, more advertisement for the 'yes' vote." | "So that's why you are seeing more propaganda, more campaigning, more advertisement for the 'yes' vote." |
| Challenges ahead | Challenges ahead |
| Under existing constitutional rules, the president was limited to two six-year terms in office, which meant that Mr Chavez would have had to leave the presidency in three years' time. | Under existing constitutional rules, the president was limited to two six-year terms in office, which meant that Mr Chavez would have had to leave the presidency in three years' time. |
| CHAVEZ DECADE: KEY DATES Feb 1999: Takes office after winning 1998 electionJuly: Re-elected under new constitution for a six-year termApril 2002: Abortive coup. Chavez returns to power after two daysAugust 2004: Wins recall referendum on whether he should serve out rest of his termDec 2006: Wins another six-year term with 63%Dec 2007: Loses constitutional referendum which included proposal to allow the president to run indefinitely for officeFeb 2009: Wins referendum that lifts term limits on elected officials | CHAVEZ DECADE: KEY DATES Feb 1999: Takes office after winning 1998 electionJuly: Re-elected under new constitution for a six-year termApril 2002: Abortive coup. Chavez returns to power after two daysAugust 2004: Wins recall referendum on whether he should serve out rest of his termDec 2006: Wins another six-year term with 63%Dec 2007: Loses constitutional referendum which included proposal to allow the president to run indefinitely for officeFeb 2009: Wins referendum that lifts term limits on elected officials |
| A proposal to end presidential term limits was one of a package of 69 constitutional changes narrowly rejected in a referendum in late 2007. | A proposal to end presidential term limits was one of a package of 69 constitutional changes narrowly rejected in a referendum in late 2007. |
| Victory this time round was by a wider margin than many analysts and opinion polls had predicted. | |
| BBC Latin America analyst James Painter says it seems President Chavez managed to persuade more of his supporters to vote, as turnout was considerably higher than in 2007. | |
| One factor was probably the change in the wording of the question, so that this time voters decided on whether term limits would be lifted for all officials not just the president. | |
| President Chavez now faces the daunting task of grappling with the global economic crisis in a country dependent on oil exports, our correspondent says. | |
| Venezuela has the highest inflation in Latin America, running at just under 30% a year. | Venezuela has the highest inflation in Latin America, running at just under 30% a year. |
| There are also serious domestic problems such as violent crime that Mr Chavez will need to tackle in the next four years if he is to repeat his success in the presidential elections of 2012, our correspondent adds. | There are also serious domestic problems such as violent crime that Mr Chavez will need to tackle in the next four years if he is to repeat his success in the presidential elections of 2012, our correspondent adds. |
| What does the referendum result mean for Venezuela? Are you from Venezuela? Do you welcome the outcome? You can send us your views using the form below. | What does the referendum result mean for Venezuela? Are you from Venezuela? Do you welcome the outcome? You can send us your views using the form below. |