Venezuelan President Chavez wins fourth term in office

PanARMENIAN.Net - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has won a fourth term in office, after opposition leader Henrique Capriles admitted defeat.

Chavez won 54% of the vote, the country's electoral council announced, with turnout at about 81%.

He said Venezuela would continue its march towards socialism but also vowed he would be a "better president".

Electoral council president Tibisay Lucena announced that with 90% of votes counted Chavez had taken 54.42% of the vote with Capriles on 44.97%.

"The revolution has triumphed," President Chavez told a cheering crowd from the balcony of the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas. "Viva Venezuela! Viva the fatherland! The battle was perfect and the victory was perfect."

Chavez also sounded a conciliatory note, saying he wanted to "include everybody", adding: "I commit to being a better president than I've been these past few years."

A subdued Capriles congratulated Chavez but told opposition supporters not to feel defeated. "I want to congratulate the candidate, the president of the republic," he said at his campaign headquarters.

He added: "We have planted many seeds across Venezuela and I know that these seeds are going to produce many trees."

Chavez, 58, was diagnosed with cancer last year but says he is now fully recovered. He has been in power since 1999 and said he needed another six-year term to continue his "Bolivarian revolution" towards socialism.