EUGENIO MARTINEZ
EL UNIVERSAL

The preliminary electoral results the National Electoral Council's National Electoral Board has published not only show that President Hugo Chávez-backed candidates captured 18 out of 20 states, but also that they won in 270 municipalities nationwide.

Until October 30, the opposition political actors controlled 220 municipalities (65%), while the government ruled in 115 municipalities (35%).

In this way, the Venezuelan political scene has redefined -amid a historically high abstention rate for regional and local elections of 55%. So far, pro-government rulers are to take control of 83% of municipalities and 78% of states.

The electoral triumph of Chávez-supported candidates is categorical in 18 states, but "reasonable doubts" remain in the cases of Carabobo State, Yaracuy State, and the Sucre Municipality of Miranda State.
 
In Carabobo State -with 20 percent of tally sheets yet to be totaled-, official candidate Felipe Acosta Carles has obtained 224,279 ballots (50,4%), while current governor (opposition), Henrique Salas Feo, has 217,214 ballots (48,8%).

This tight difference is also seen in Yaracuy State, where most people voted manually and ballots have not been totaled. Pro-Chávez candidate Carlos Giménez has obtained 67,317 ballots (50%), and current governor, Eduardo Lapi -an outstanding opposition leader- obtained 65,682 votes (48%). Thirty-nine percent of ballots cast in Yaracuy State are yet to be totaled.

Regarding the situation in Sucre Municipality of Miranda State, the gap between the two leading candidates is somehow wider. Nevertheless, with 15 percent of ballots yet to be counted, current mayor José Vicente Rangel Avalos (supported by Chávez) has obtained 59,643 votes, while opposition Primero Justicia candidate Carlos Ocariz has captured 52,846 ballots.

Immediate transmission

In an official communication, Jorge Rodríguez, president of the CNE's National Electoral Board, ordered the immediate transmission of all tally sheets from automated balloting machines and manual voting stations that have not been sent to the top electoral body.

Besides, he claimed he is to travel to Carabobo State -and CNE director Tibisay Lucena is to visit Yaracuy State- to support the work of regional electoral boards vis-à-vis the pressure some political actors and groups have been exercising.

Rodríguez claimed that municipal and regional electoral boards should announce the definitive results by the end of the week.

Translated by Maryflor Suárez