Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expressed his satisfaction Monday over the recognition of the results of the referendum of Sunday by the international community and regretted the opposition did not do the same.  

Chavez specially mentioned the international observation of the Organization of American States and the Carter Center of the United States, which ratified the validity of the result presented by the electoral authorities of Venezuela.

The Venezuelan leader also mentioned that several statesmen called up in recent hours to congratulate him. He mentioned in particular those heads of Government and State: Nestor Kirchner of Argentina, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Bralia, Luiz Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain, and Hipolito Mejia of the Dominican Republic.

Chavez added he was happy that his victory brought calm to the petroleum sector and added that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries "has no plans" to let the price of the barrel of oil to reach US$50.

On the contrary, he said he was in favor of stabilizing the price at US$30 a barrel.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2004)