Venezuela's ongoing presidential election has been calm and peaceful, Defense Minister Diego Molero Bellavia said Sunday.

"I can tell the Venezuelan people that I have toured Caracas, and that everything is very quiet and calm," Molero said after voting in the capital city.

Molero urged calmness from all voters, saying the armed forces are ready to act against any group that disturbs the process.

Strategic Operational Command chief Wilmer Barrientos said air units of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces have toured the border areas and reported regularly, adding that 6,000 troops were deployed to the border regions.

Venezuelans went to the polls early in the day to elect a new president to succeed Hugo Chavez, who died of cancer last month.

The polling stations opened at 6 a.m. local time (1030 GMT) and will close at 6 p.m. (2230 GMT). The final results are expected later Sunday night.

All Venezuelan citizens aged above 18 are eligible to vote, and there are about 18.9 million registered voters out of a total population of 28.8 million. Endi

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