SANTIAGO, Aug. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The Chilean government said Monday that it accepts the results of Venezuela's Sunday referendum which showed President Hugo Chavez survived the recall.

     Chile hopes that the referendum could strengthen the harmonious coexistence of the Venezuelan people based on democracy, the Chilean Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

    Chile is willing to boost the traditional friendship with Venezuela and continue cooperating with Chavez's government, said the statement.

    According to results released by Venezuela's electoral authorities on Monday with 94.49 percent of the vote counted, 58.25 percent of the electorate voted for Chavez to remain in office.

    The international observing mission of the Organization of American States and the nonprofit Carter Center of the United States validated the results and called on people to accept them.

    Chile also sent an observer to supervise the referendum. After the voting results were released, the Chilean government said it was satisfied with the voting process.

    However, the Venezuelan opposition rejected Chavez's victory inthe referendum, saying there were frauds in the process. Enditem