Chavez party makes gains in big local election win

CARACAS: President Hugo Chavez's ruling party made gains Sunday, as he was recovering from cancer surgery in Cuba, snatching a few governorships from opposition rivals, the National Electoral Council said.

In the country's 23 states, the socialist ruling party had won 19 of the posts, while the opposition held onto Miranda and Lara states, the council said. It said races in Amazonas and Bolivar states were not yet decided.

That meant Chavez's supporters took back at least three governorships of the seven the opposition had held.