▁Both ▁CO PE I ▁and ▁Democratic ▁Action ▁now ▁sought ▁to ▁end or se ▁Sal as ▁Rö mer ▁( he ▁was ▁rel uct ant ▁to ▁accept ). ▁CO PE I ▁persu aded ▁its ▁candidate ▁( S ae z ) ▁to ▁res ign , ▁but ▁Democratic ▁Action ' s ▁candidate , ▁Alf aro ▁U c ero , ▁refused ▁to ▁do ▁so , ▁trigger ing ▁an ▁elect oral ▁crisis ▁as ▁the ▁National ▁Elect oral ▁Council ▁had ▁to ▁rule ▁on ▁whether ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Action ▁ball ot ▁slot ▁belonged ▁to ▁the ▁party ▁or ▁the ▁candidate . ▁Sal as ▁Rö mer ▁agreed ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁end ors ement ▁of ▁CO PE I ▁and ▁Democratic ▁Action ▁regional ▁and ▁local ▁parties , ▁and ▁sought ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁distance ▁to ▁the ▁parties ' ▁national ▁leadership . ▁In ▁the ▁end , ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁enough , ▁and ▁Ch á vez ▁won ▁a ▁substantial ▁majority , ▁and ▁won ▁ 1 7 ▁of ▁ 2 3 ▁states . ▁ ▁Results ▁ ▁Re actions ▁ ▁Dom estic ▁Following ▁his ▁victory , ▁Ch á vez ▁promised ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁de value ▁the ▁bol iv ar ▁and ▁that ▁currency ▁controls ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁created . ▁Sal as ▁Rö mer ▁react ed ▁to ▁the ▁results ▁stating ▁" I ▁not ▁only ▁accept ▁the ▁victory ▁of ▁my ▁advers ary ▁but ▁wish ▁him ▁luck , ▁lots ▁of ▁luck , ▁because ▁his ▁luck ▁will ▁be ▁that ▁of ▁Venezuela ". ▁Some ▁Ch á vez ▁supp or ters ▁react ed ▁to ▁his ▁election ▁by ▁saying ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁accept ▁an ▁author itar ian ▁government