Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Sunday clinched his long-sought right to seek an unlimited number of terms in office as more than 54 per cent of Venezuelan voters backed a constitutional change, dpa reported.
Chavez's current term was to end in 2013.
The proposal for a constitutional referendum to allow the unlimited re-election of the president passed with 54.4 per cent of the votes against 45.6 per cent, according to the first official report issued late Sunday by the country's electoral authorities.
As she announced the results, National Electoral Council (CNE) president Tibisay Lucena called upon the winners to behave "with dignity, with pride, with calm and above all with generosity" in their celebrations in a deeply divided country.
Within minutes, Chavez - wearing his trademark red shirt - appeared before thousands of supporters. From a balcony of the government palace in Caracas, he sang the national anthem as fireworks were set off around the city to celebrate what he called "a great victory."
"Chavez will not leave!" his followers chanted in a classic slogan.
Chavez, who celebrated the 10th anniversary of his rise to power earlier this month, said "the truth has won over lies."
"Perseverance has won," he said.
In December 2007, Chavez lost his first referendum effort to get such a proposal passed.
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