Chavez's party takes most states in Venezuela polls

Caracas, Nov 24 (RIA Novosti) President Hugo Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) has won in majority of states in nationwide elections to elect mayors and governors, officials said Monday.

The PSUV won in 17 out of 22 states in the Latin American country. The opposition, however, took capital Caracas and the two most populous states, officials said.

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Results from two states, Carabobo and Tachira, were yet to be determined.

The polls were largely seen as a test of Chavez's popularity and his intention to build 'a socialism for the 21st century'. They came a year after the charismatic opponent of 'US imperialism' lost a referendum that would have allowed presidents to remain in power for an unlimited number of terms.

More than 65 percent of the electorate took part in the ballot, election officials said, terming it a high turnout in the country where participation in polls rarely exceeds 50 percent.