CARACAS, Dec 6 (Xinhuanet) -- International election monitors said Tuesday that they had detected no problems with Venezuela's legislative elections that handed allies of President Hugo Chavez control of Venezuela's National Assembly.

    Europe Union mission chief Jose Albino Silva said audits showed vote results and voting machines were "clearly reliable."

    However, he urged the National Assembly to quickly appoint new electoral council directors to bolster voter confidence.

    "Wide sectors of Venezuelan society do not have trust in the electoral process and in the independence of the electoral authority," Silva told a news conference.

    The observers were "surprised" when opposition parties withdrew from the race after their main complaint was addressed, he said. Opposition parties withdrew "without providing new reasons," he added.

    The five main opposition parties boycotted the election. Barely 25 percent of the 14 million voters took part.

    "For us, there was transparency in the electoral process," Silva said.

    The Organization of American States, for its part, said that "the climate of serenity" was observed during the election process and "correct preparations" have taken place at polling places.

    Chavez's ruling party and its allies said they had swept all 167 seats in Sunday's elections, giving the outspoken leader added power over the oil-rich nation.

    National Assembly President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday that the new elected lawmakers, to be sworn in next January, plan to pass an amendment of the constitution to keep Chavez in office until 2030. Enditem