Venezuela's Chavez appoints FM new VP

CARACAS - President Hugo Chavez Wednesday appointed Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro as the new vice-president, as he himself was formally confirmed for a third 6-year term starting Jan 10, 2013.

"We wish Nicolas Maduro success and we are going to give him a hand, because he has been a remarkable official all these years in different battlefields, in the National Assembly and later in the Foreign Ministry," said Chavez at a ceremony.

Maduro, born on Nov 23, 1962 in Caracas, was Foreign Minister from 2006, and Vice-President for the Council of Ministers from Nov 23, 2010.

Chavez also thanked his outgoing Vice-President Elias Jaua, who is expected to run for the governor of Miranda State in December.

The electroal body announced Wednesday that with 98.02 percent of the votes counted for last Sunday's presidential elections, Chavez carried 55.25 percent, or an 11-point lead over opposition candidate Henrique Capriles.

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro attends a news conference in Caracas, in this May 2, 2012 file photo. Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez named current Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro as his new vice president on October 10, 2012 in the first cabinet change since his re-election on Sunday. [Photo/Agencies]