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Chavez’s chosen heir scrapes narrow victory in Venezuela | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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epa03662726 A handout photo by the Miraflores press office shows presidential candidate and acting President, Nicolas Maduro (C), giving a speech at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, early 15 April 2013, after claiming victory in the elections. Nicolas Maduro, the chosen heir of late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, won 14 April’s presidential election by less than 2 percentage points, according to official results. Henrique Capriles, the candidate of the unified opposition, refused to concede defeat and demanded a full recount. ‘We are talking about the country (divided) in halves,’ Capriles said. Maduro received 50.76 per cent of the votes to 49.07 per cent for Capriles, with more than 99 per cent of the ballots counted, official results showed. Turnout was more than 78 per cent of eligible voters. EPA/PRENSA MIRAFLORES HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES