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Gallery|Elections

Venezuela opposition celebrates poll victory

Streets of Caracas erupt in shouts of joy, fireworks and car honks after opposition wins control of National Assembly.

Venezuela election celebration
An opposition supporter wearing a T-shirt that reads 'Maduro, you are lost' shouts while he celebrates their victory on a street in Caracas. [Nacho Doce/Reuters]
Published On 7 Dec 20157 Dec 2015
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Venezuela’s opposition won control of the National Assembly by a landslide, trouncing the ruling party and altering the balance of power after almost 17 years of socialist rule.

The streets of the Venezuelan capital of Caracas broke out in shouts of joy, fireworks and car honks after National Electoral Council President Tibisay Lucena announced the partial results six hours after polls closed on Sunday.

In the plaza in wealthy eastern Caracas, which was the epicentre of last year’s bloody anti-government protests, a small group of opponents, some of them sipping champagne, burned red shirts that are the obligatory revolutionary attire.

The opposition victory deals a serious setback to the socialist revolution started almost 17 years ago by the late Hugo Chavez, who until his death in 2013 had an almost magical hold on the political aspirations of Venezuela’s long-excluded masses.

Venezuela election celebration
Venezuela's opposition won control of the National Assembly by a landslide on Sunday, delivering a major setback to the ruling party and altering the balance of power after 17 years of socialist rule. [Fernando Llano/AP]
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Venezuela election celebration
Maduro had repeatedly vowed in recent weeks to take to the streets and defend his mentor Hugo Chavez's legacy if his party lost. But on Sunday night he softened his tone, urging his supporters to regroup from the loss in calm. [Ariana Cubillos/AP]
Venezuela election celebration
Opposition leaders (from left to right) Lilian Tintori, wife of jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez; Freddy Guevara, of the Voluntad Popular party; Jesus Torrealba, head of the Democratic Unity Movement party; and deputy Julio Borges celebrate in Caracas, Venezuela. [Alejandro Cegarra/AP]
Venezuela election celebration
Opposition supporters wave a Venezuelan national flag from a car while they celebrate their victory on a street in Caracas. [Nacho Doce/Reuters]
Venezuela election celebration
Voting was mostly peaceful, though fears of unrest prompted some Venezuelans to line up before dawn so they could cast their ballots and go home to wait for results. [Nacho Doce/Reuters]
Venezuela election celebration
The opposition coalition won at least 99 seats in the incoming 167-seat legislature, electoral authorities announced after midnight on Sunday. [Nacho Doce/Reuters]
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Venezuela election celebration
Opposition supporters celebrate in Caracas, Venezuela, early on December 7, 2015. [Fernando Llano/AP]


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