Free Republic

(Reuters) - Venezuela's presidential election looked headed for a close finish on Sunday with President Hugo Chavez facing an unprecedented challenge to his socialist rule from a young rival tapping into discontent over crime and cronyism. An energetic campaign by centrist state governor Henrique Capriles, 40, has given the opposition its best chance in 14 years to unseat the popular president and take the reins of South America's leading oil exporter. Chavez has used record oil revenue to support ideological allies around the world while taking a fiercely anti-American stance in global diplomacy, so the election is being watched eagerly...

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuela's electoral council says President Hugo Chavez has won re-election, defeating challenger Henrique Capriles. National Electoral Council president Tibisay Lucena says that with most votes counted, Chavez had about 54 percent of the vote.

The consultant Variance granted a victory for opposition leader 51.3% versus 48.06 Chavez. The school closings occurred one hour after the stipulated The candidate of the Democratic Unity Table (MUD), Henrique Capriles, be imposed against Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in the presidential elections held on Sunday in the Caribbean country, according to a poll exit polls by consultancy Variance the absence of closure of polling stations. The time set for the closing were 00.30 Spanish time, however, and because of the long lines in some of them, have remained open for another hour, until 01.40. [Click here to read the...

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has won a fourth term in office after defeating opposition leader Henrique Capriles, electoral officials say. Mr Chavez won 54% of the vote, the country's electoral council announced. Noisy celebrations among Chavez supporters erupted across the capital Caracas following the result. Turnout was 80% in the hotly contested election and voting was extended beyond the official closing time at some polling stations with long queues.

Update 10:50 p.m.: According to the Associated Press, Venezuela’s electoral council has declared that Hugo Chavez beat Henriques Capriles in Sunday’s presidential election with about 54 percent of the vote, despite exit polls showing otherwise. Venezuela Twitter users have claimed Chavez’s victory was wrought with election fraud, and that the socialist incumbent president sent tanks into the streets of his country as those exit poll reports showed him losing. A picture of the tanks surfaced on Twitter Sunday evening. The British Guardian newspaper reported that Chavez also sent troops armed with AK-47s into Venezuela’s streets to fight against any protests...