Chavez's 'comfortable' win raises questions

8 October 2012 By Sarah Grainger BBC News, Caracas

Hugo Chavez's supporters are celebrating another six-year term

In the end, President Hugo Chavez won a fourth term of office by a comfortable 10-point margin.

Venezuelans chose to stick with his " Bolivarian revolution" that has involved controversial nationalisations and expropriations, as well as the introduction of social programmes known as " missions".

" Chavez won because he gave free education to all, he has given free healthcare, he has given housing to poor people, " said one supporter celebrating in the streets of Caracas not long after the results of Sunday's elections were announced.

Many who have benefited from Mr Chavez's attempts to distribute some of Venezuela's oil wealth to the poor will have voted to keep him in power for six more years.

But while Mr Chavez won this election by a clear margin, it is nothing like the landslide result of 2006, when he managed to get almost twice as many votes as his nearest rival.

His acceptance speech was reconciliatory, perhaps mindful of the six million voters who had chosen opposition candidate Henrique Capriles.

" Today we start a new cycle of government, in which we must respond with greater efficacy and efficiency to the needs of our people, " he told crowds that had gathered to celebrate outside the Miraflores presidential palace. " I promise you I'll be a better president."

Of particular concern in the run-up to these elections was the issue of insecurity. Venezuela has one of the highest murder rates in the world and crime affects people at all levels of society in the country.

Likewise inflation, which at over 27% is one the highest rates in the world.