Luis Acosta / AFP - Getty Images
Presidential candidate Nicolas Maduro waves to sympathizers after casting his vote in Caracas on April 14.
CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan electoral officials say voters elected Hugo Chavez's hand-picked successor as president in a razor-close special election Sunday.
Winner Nicolas Maduro campaigned on a promise to carry on Chavez's self-styled socialist revolution and defeated a two-time challenger who claimed the late president's regime has put Venezuela on the road to ruin.
Officials say Maduro defeated Henrique Capriles by only about 300,000 votes. The margin was 50.8 percent to 49.1 percent.?
Maduro backers celebrated with fireworks over Caracas on Sunday while opposition backers banged pots and pans in protest after the nail-biting win for the Chavez protege.
The contrasting reactions underlined the deep polarization in the South American nation of 29 million people.
"We don't want violence, we want peace," Maduro said in a speech to the nation.
"They (the opposition) want an audit. We welcome the audit.... I formally request the National Electoral Commission to carry out an audit."
Capriles said he would not accept the result without a full recount.
"We have different results," Capriles said in a speech to the nation shortly after midnight, alleging thousands of irregularities in Sunday's vote.
"Mr. Maduro, if you were illegitimate before, now you are more so."
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related:
PhotoBlog -- voters head to the polls in Venezuela
Venezuela's choice: Chavez disciple or fresh start
This story was originally published on Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:01 AM EDT
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