Caracas, October 16 (RHC)--In a resounding victory, the Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV) won 17 of the 23 gubernatorial races in the regional elections held Sunday in the South American nation.

The president of the Electoral Council, Tibisay Lucena said the Socialist Party took 17 governorships, versus five for the opposition Democratic Unity coalition. The results in Bolivar state are still pending.

According to Lucena, 61% of eligible voters turned out to cast their ballots.

In a speech to the nation, President Nicolas Maduro said: “We have won 75% of the governorships in the country.  ‘Chavismo’ is alive, in the street, and triumphant.”

President Maduro described the victory as a consolidation of peace and as a triumph of democracy. “In Venezuela there is democracy. We want peace. Truth has won in Venezuela,” he stressed.

The states of Miranda and Lara, led by opposition governors Henrique Capriles, and Henri Falcón, respectively, were won by the Socialist Party candidates.

After the results were announced, the opposition coalition refused to recognize them.  Without presenting any evidence of fraud, opposition election campaign chief Gerardo Blyde told reporters they had “serious suspicions and doubts,” and that they would be requesting a vote recount.