Governments across the Americas have been congratulating the president-elect of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez.

Mr Chavez won fifty-six percent of the vote in Sunday's presidential election compared to less than forty percent for his nearest rival Henrique Salas Romer.

It was the biggest margin of victory for forty years.

The Cuban president, Fidel Castro, spoke warmly of Mr Chavez's victory while officials in Washington stressed the need for Mr Chavez to respect Venezuela's constitution when he takes office next February.