Putin congratulates Venezuela’s president-elect Maduro

Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Venezuela’s socialist leader Nicholas Maduro on his victory in the presidential race, the Kremlin reports.

Mr. Putin said he hoped that Maduro’s Venezuela will continue strengthening its strategic partnership with Russia. He also said Moscow was open for a further dialogue between the two nations on a whole range of bilateral and international issues.
Nicholas Maduro, the late President Hugo Chavez’s heir and ally, won a narrow victory of 50.66% over his chief challenger Henrique Capriles, who refused to recognize the vote results.