BRUSSELS, Aug 16 (AFP) - The European Commission on Monday hailed a referendum in Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez's mandate as a "victory for democracy" in the way it was held, although declined comment on the result.
"We are happy to see that so many Venezuelans wanted to participate in the democratic process," said Antonia Mochan, a spokeswoman for the European Union's executive, also noting that the poll "occurred in a calm atmosphere."
"It is a great victory for democracy," she added of the ballots, in which Chavez claimed victory with electoral authorities giving him 58 percent of the vote to the opposition's 42 percent.
But the spokeswoman said the definitive result was not yet known and in any case "we are not going to comment on it."
Venezuela's opposition immediately rejected the results and insisted it won the referendum on the leftist leader's mandate.
Chavez, whose poll result eased prices on oil markets, claimed the vote was "clean and transparent," urged the opposition to recognize its outcome, and invited his rivals to join in efforts to build a more just Venezuela.