Venezuela: Chavez victory backed by Carter

Venezuelans voted overwhelmingly to keep President Hugo Chavez in office, dealing a crushing defeat to a splintered opposition that waged a long and bitter campaign to oust him.

Scattered protests erupted yesterday in Caracas as stunned opposition leaders refused to accept results showing Chavez won with 58% of Sunday’s referendum, even after former US President Jimmy Carter and the Organisation of American States endorsed the outcome.