"I want us all to offer applause of support and motivation to our new vice president, Nicolas Maduro," Chavez said at the headquarters of the national electoral council, which proclaimed the anti-US firebrand leftist leader the winner of Sunday's vote.

The 49-year-old Maduro, a former bus driver and union activist, had served as foreign minister since 2006.

Maduro replaces Elias Jaua, who plans to run for the governorship of Miranda state -- the most populous in the country -- against Henrique Capriles, the man defeated by Chavez. That vote will take place on December 16.

Chavez, who has been in power since 1999, won 55.26 percent of the vote, against 44.13 percent for Capriles, according to the electoral council. Ballots cast abroad had not been counted.