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CARACAS, VENEZUELA -- Candidates in parties backing President Hugo Chavez won
many more seats than opposition challengers in Venezuela's local elections this
week, according to preliminary results.
With nearly all votes counted from Sunday's elections, Venezuela's major newspapers
calculated that pro-Chavez candidates won some 47 percent of city council posts
across the country, while opposition candidates won 17 percent and other independent
parties had 18 percent of posts.
The National Electoral Council released preliminary results Thursday evening
showing Chavez's Fifth Republic Movement Party won some 1.3 million votes, or
about 30 percent, with other pro-Chavez parties accounted for the remainder.
The local elections were to decide 5,599 posts, including thousands of city
council and neighborhood board members.
Pro-Chavez candidates won two mayoral posts and a sole governor's race in the
southern state of Amazonas.
The elections were seen as a test for Chavez's political allies four months
before key congressional elections. Pro-Chavez candidates control 53 percent
of the National Assembly, and are trying to increase their majority.
