Venezuela’s incumbent President Hugo Chavez was on Sunday re-elected to a new six-year term, according to results announced by Tibisay Lucena, president of the National Electoral Council, CNN reported, according to RIA Novosti.
Chavez defeated his main contender opposition leader Henrique Capriles.
According to the BBC, Lucena announced that with 90 percent of votes counted, Chavez gained 54.42 percent, and Capriles, 44.97 percent.
Speaking at his campaign headquarters, Capriles congratulated Chavez on the victory.
Last month, Capriles, 40, said the socialist leader is more interested in promoting his self-styled revolution around the world than in addressing power cuts, unemployment and high crime rates in the country.
Chavez, 58, said in early September he was convinced he would gain 70 percent of the vote at the October 7 presidential election. He cited statistics - 56 percent of votes cast for him at the 1998 election and 63 percent at the 2006 polls.