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Raul Castro reiterates support for Venezuelan President Maduro following electoral defeat

Xinhua, December 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Cuban President Raul Castro reiterated his "unconditional" support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro one day after his party lost in the legislative elections in the South American nation.

Castro said "Chavismo" fought hard at the ballots, though the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable party won the elections after securing 99 deputies out of the 167 seats in the National Assembly.

"Dear Maduro. I followed, minute by minute, the extraordinary battle that you have fought and listened to your words with admiration. I am sure that there are new victories to come for the Bolivarian and Chavista Revolution under your leadership," Castro said in a letter published by official Cuban daily Granma.

This is the Bolivarian Revolution's first electoral defeat after 17 years in power. Maduro said he accepted the adverse results to the "moral and ethics of Chavismo," but stressed "the Constitution and democracy had triumphed."

Maduro, who took office in April 2013 after the death of President Hugo Chavez, said the defeat was down to an "economic war" against the country, aimed at provoking popular dissatisfaction with his administration. Endit