Chavez wins re-election by a wide margin

With 78 percent of voting stations reporting, Chavez had 61 percent of the vote, to 38 percent for Rosales.

Chavez has won a loyal following among the poor through multibillion-dollar social programs including subsidized food, free university education and cash benefits for single mothers.

He’s been quite the petro-populist.

The result is hardly a surprise, except perhaps to the most optimistic of Rosales supporters.

Here’s the Miami Herald version of the story: Chávez easily wins fourth term

President Hugo Chávez won his fourth presidential bid in eight years on Sunday, defeating career politician Manuel Rosales and boosting his ‘’21st Century Socialism,'’ which includes widespread social projects, increasing relations with countries such as Cuba and Iran, and diminishing relations with the United States.

The National Electoral Council, or CNE, announced at 9 p.m. EST that Chávez had received 61 percent of the vote and Rosales 38 percent, with 78 percent of the votes counted.

The victory was greeted with fireworks, small parades, dancing and chants of ‘’Uh, Ah, Chávez no se va!'’ — Chávez will not go — throughout a rain-soaked Caracas.

For anyone not familiar with the political career of Chávez should read the Herald piece, as it provides a decent synopsis.

The NYT report on the event is here: Chávez Wins Easily in Venezuela, Showing Wide Support

Publius Pundit has photos, commentary and links.