U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan today praised the "peaceful and orderly manner" in which the August 15 recall election in Venezuela was carried out. Annan, in a statement read by U.N. spokesman Stephan Dujarric, "welcomed the fact that an unprecedented number of Venezuelans participated in the referendum, demonstrating a great sense of responsibility and respect for democratic values." Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez won 58 percent of the vote on Sunday, and will not be ousted early from his second term, which ends January 2007. "The Secretary-General once again appeals to all Venezuelans to settle all matters related to the referendum in the same civic and democratic spirit that prevailed during the voting," said Dujarric. Annan called on the Venezuelan people "to engage in a constructive dialogue looking towards Venezuela's future," said Dujarric, adding that the United Nations will continue its support for "a peaceful solution to their political differences."
