Opposition's Capriles holds seat in Venezuela state elections

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's Henrique Capriles consolidated his position as top opposition leader on Sunday by winning re-election as governor of a key state, leaving him as candidate-in-waiting if Hugo Chavez's cancer forces a new presidential election.

The 40-year-old governor of Miranda beat Chavez's former vice president Elias Jaua to retain Venezuela's second-most populous state Miranda.

But the ruling Socialist Party's candidates virtually swept the board elsewhere round the South American nation, taking 19 states versus three for the opposition, the election board said.

One state, Bolivar, was still being counted.

Chavez's struggle with a third bout of cancer has raised the possibility of the nation returning to the polls just months after the October presidential ballot in which he beat Capriles to win a third term.

The youthful Capriles' re-election as governor of Miranda will help maintain unity among the historically fractured opposition in a potential election against Vice President Nicolas Maduro, Chavez's anointed successor.

Capriles supporters whooped for joy at his headquarters in Caracas, where there had been scenes of despondency just two months ago when he lost the presidential fight.

Chavez supporters were also celebrating their big win at national level. "It's been an immense victory, the map is red in all corners," said Socialist Party campaign coordinator Jorge Rodriguez.

Turnout was a poor 54 percent, reflecting weariness with politics after the recent presidential campaign and the closeness of the Christmas holiday season.

The nation remains focused on Chavez's recovery in Cuba from Tuesday's six-hour operation - his fourth since he was diagnosed with cancer in the pelvic region in mid-2011.

Officials say Chavez has regained full consciousness, is giving instructions from his bed, and was following Sunday's vote closely.

"The commander-president continues to stabilize. The tendency remains positive," his son-in-law Jorge Arreaza, who serves as science and technology minister, said from Havana.

The official updates of his health are shy on details, however, so speculation is rife that Chavez may be in a life-threatening situation in Havana's Cimeq hospital with both a difficult post-operative recovery and a possible spreading of the cancer.

Chavez, 58, is due to start a new term on January 10, but has named Maduro as his preferred successor should he be incapacitated. That would trigger a new presidential poll within 30 days.

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(Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Philip Barbara)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/absent-chavez-dominates-venezuelan-state-elections-012232801.html

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