President Nicolas Maduro's opponents failed to make any significant advances in the Venezuelan mayoral election round at the weekend despite campaigns of sabotage and destabilisation.

Members of the ruling United Socialist Party won in 196 of 335 municipalities up for grabs, according to preliminary results announced by the National Electoral Council.

Socialists won nearly 50 per cent of the overall vote against 43 per cent for the right-wing opposition, said council president Tibisay Lucerna.

The opposition took just 53 mayoralties and independent candidates won eight, while the remaining 78 contests were still too close to call as the Star went to press.

The opposition, which won 46 municipalities in the 2008 elections, retained control of the country's two biggest cities, Caracas and Maracaibo.

But a hoped-for voting surge based on Venezuela's soaring inflation and worsening shortages of basic goods failed to materialise.

Mr Maduro's pursuit of the groups and businesses he accuses of waging an "economic war" against his government has won him growing respect from voters.

Among the most popular measures was the seizure of dozens of retailers and slashing prices on domestic appliances.

In a triumphant speech on Sunday night the president promised more measures to protect the poor in coming days, including a drive to keep food prices low.

"The Bolivarian revolution continues now with more strength," Mr Maduro told hundreds of supporters at a rally in central Caracas to celebrate what he called a "grand victory."

Turnout in the vote had been high for local elections at 58 per cent.

While the opposition alliance was never expected to challenge socialist dominance in rural areas, until a month ago it had claimed it could win the national vote by a healthy margin.

Instead, it ended up way behind Mr Maduro's PSUV.

The opposition claimed it was hit by a government-led campaign of media coverage of Mr Maduro inaugurating civil works, handing out homes and announcing pay rises for state workers.

Mr Maduro decreed Sunday a national holiday of "loyalty and love" for decceased leader Hugo Chavez, to whom he dedicated the victory.