Venezuela's Chavez loses constitutional vote

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez today suffered a stinging defeat in a vote on constitutional changes that would have let him run for re-election indefinitely.

Chavez called it a “photo finish”.

Voters defeated the sweeping measures by a vote of 51% to 49%, said Tibisay Lucena, chief of the National Electoral Council.

Turnout was just 56%, Lucena said.

The referendum on constitutional changes was a critical test for a leader bent on turning this major oil provider into a socialist state.

An emboldened opposition and clashes during student-led protests in recent weeks had prompted fears of bitter conflict in Chavez’s closest race in years.