Progressive observers of Latin America will be celebrating today following the latest failure by Venezuela's right-wing opposition to inflict defeat on the country's Bolivarian revolution.

The opposition led by upper-class Henrique Capriles - a key player in the 2002 attempted coup against the late Hugo Chavez - failed to make a breakthrough despite an ongoing propaganda campaign aimed at undermining support for President Nicolas Maduras's PSUV.

News that 49 per cent of the vote went to the ruling party, compared with around 43 per cent to the opposition, reflects continuing backing from many Venezuelans for an administration that has put the advancement of the majority in fields such as education, health care and housing at the fore.

The right had hoped that the death of Chavez would undermine support for PSUV, but its failure to advance reaffirms the fact that the process which began with the late leader was not simply about one man.

But unknown threats remain.

In the past, electoral defeat has not stopped the right-wing opposition from trying every trick in the book to topple the Bolivarian government, from outright coup to a destabilising shutdown of the oil industry.

Maduro and his allies have lately accused the right of purposely fuelling inflation by pushing up prices and hoarding goods in the latest attempt at economic warfare.

Such tactics would come as no surprise - it is the wealthy minority that has lost most from the post-1999 shift in power from a tiny corrupt elite towards policies aimed at improving the lot of the majority that they once so callously dismissed.

And, supported by a powerful ally in the United States, it would be foolish to write off this opposition despite another encouraging election result.

Despite tremendous advances over the past 14 years in combating illiteracy, abject poverty and slums, challenges remain in terms of both economic and social advancement in what is a developing country albeit with sizeable oil wealth.

Decades of underinvestment and neglect of infrastructure and ordinary people will not be reversed with a click of the fingers.

What's more the right is not going to go away - and supporters overseas will need to remain vigilant to the ever-present threat.

Not least because much of the media in Britain and elsewhere has relentlessly parroted the pro-opposition agenda discussed in the swanky bars frequented by the Caracas elite.

The Morning Star alone has consistently supported the tricky process of change and advance that began in 1999.

But as the Venezuelan right nurses its wounds following another setback to its agenda, for now it's time for us to raise a glass and say: "Viva la revolución Bolivariana!"

Time's up, IDS

What dirt has Iain Duncan Smith got on David Cameron that prevents him being booted out of his job?

That seems to be the only plausible explanation for the PM allowing the relentlessly bungling, inaccurate and backsliding Work and Pensions Secretary to keep his job.

The latest news that his universal credit scheme - an idea that may not in itself be bad if it weren't a Tory version actively designed to slash the amount of money given to people and destined to create chaos in the lives of the most hard-hit - has struck another rock should have been the cue to kick him into touch.

Then again, perhaps callous Duncan Smith has borrowed Cameron's bovver boots.

He just presses on, prison camp guard-style, with the cruel work of grinding his heel into workers and social security claimants.