Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s party has crushed the opposition, as it wined most governorships in state races Sunday.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s party has crushed the opposition, as it wined most governorships in state races Sunday.

Chavez's top rival, Henrique Capriles, survived his own tough test, winning re-election as Miranda state governor.

But Chavez's party gained in four other states, said electoral officials in this OPEC nation with the world's top proven oil reserves.

Capriles admitted the losses were a "tough moment" for Venezuela's opposition.

"Our (opposition candidates) have lost some ground. But they are no less leaders than they were yesterday," he said.
"We are going to reach the dream that we have. This is a tough moment, but there are opportunities in every tough moment."

In the country's 23 states, the socialist ruling party won 20 of the top state posts while the opposition held onto three including Miranda, the electoral council said. The opposition had held seven state governorships before the vote.

The elections were overshadowed by the health of Chavez, who was improving and already "giving instructions" from his bed in Havana where he is recovering from cancer surgery, a Venezuelan cabinet member said earlier.