CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuela's acting President Nicolas Maduro was elected Mr Hugo Chavez's successor with 50.66 per cent of the vote, while opposition rival Henrique Capriles earned 49.06 per cent, election officials said.

"These are the irreversible results that the people have decided," National Electoral Council president Tibisay Lucena told a news conference here on Sunday, announcing a much closer victory for Mr Maduro than expected.