Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez claimed on Sunday that he had won a new term in his country's presidential election.

As 78 percent of votes had been counted, Chavez had garnered 61 percent, far ahead of his rival Manuel Rosales, according to Tibisay Lucena, head of the elections council.

Rosales has conceded defeat. "We admit that they defeated us today," he told reporters.

The voting, which began at 6:00 AM local time (10:00 GMT) in around 11,118 polling stations in all 23 states plus capital Caracas. About 16 million citizens were registered to vote.

Soon after the announcement, Chavez appeared on the balcony of his presidential palace, to sing the national anthem and address his supporters.

Chavez described his victory as symbolizing national support for socialism and claimed that it was "another defeat for the devil who wants to dominate the world," apparently referring to the United States.

The president also paid salute to Cuba's leader Fidel Castro, another staunch opponent of the United States.

Chavez and opposition candidate Rosales, a local state governor, were the two leading contenders vying for the top job. The most recent public opinion polls showed Chavez with a solid lead over Rosales.

Chavez, 52, has vowed to forge social programs that have won him applause among poor Venezuelans who played a key role in giving him landslide electoral victories in 1998 and 2000.

(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2006)