Venezuela: gains for Chavez supporters in state races

(Vatican Radio) Supporters of cancer stricken Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have rallied to consolidate his grip on the nation's State Governorships. The question of whether the lingering Chavez health issue would affect the ballot box has been decisively answered at least in the short term. His clad in red socialist supporters have gone to the polls and clinched 20 of the nation's 23 State Governorships- two more than in the last legislative Elections. Interestingly and significantly Henrique Capriles, who lost a hard fought Presidential Election against Chavez on October 7th, has retained his Governorship of Miranda State. If Chavez health problems obliged him to step down in the first four years of his beaconing six year term, then Capriles would be contesting a Presidential Election against Nicolas Maduro, who's Chavez's hand picked successor.
The remaining issue focused on whether these latest elections reflect a sympathy vote for Chavez, who's undergone a fourth cancer operation, or consolidate a long term political mark, he's notched up, remains up in the air. Listen to this report from regional correspondent James Blears: