CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez’s allies won a sweeping victory in Venezuela’s gubernatorial elections Sunday, capturing a large majority of states and showing their ruling party still has muscle even as cancer has put the socialist leader’s future in question.

Chavez’s movement won 20 of 23 states, according to results announced by the electoral council. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles held on for a re-election win in Miranda state, one of three opposition candidates declared winners.

Capriles lost to Chavez in the country’s October election, and his re-election Sunday will allow him to cement his position as Venezuela’s dominant opposition leader, even as other opposition candidates floundered. But the loss of ground by the opposition also raises tough questions for government adversaries as they prepare for the possibility of new presidential elections if cancer cuts short Chavez’s tenure.

The opposition lost five of the governorships it previously held, including the country’s most populous state, Zulia.

Jorge Rodriguez, campaign manager for the pro-Chavez camp, hailed the victory, saying it represented “the map painted red” - the color of Chavez’s socialist party.

“It really does underscore the fact that Chavismo really can survive, at least at the regional level, without Chavez,” said Miguel Tinker Salas, a Latin American studies professor at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif.

“The reality is that the Chavistas today proved that their movement is institutionalized enough to sustain itself and to win statehouses in almost 90 percent of Venezuela.”

The vote was the first time in Chavez’s nearly 14-year-old presidency that he has been unable to actively campaign. He hasn’t spoken publicly since undergoing cancer surgery on Tuesday in Cuba.

The strong showing bypro-Chavez candidates could help them deepen his socialist policies, including a drive to fortify grass-roots citizen councils that are directly funded by the central government.

Capriles beat Elias Jaua, Chavez’s former vice president, to win Miranda state, which includes part of the capital of Caracas. His supporters celebrated, shouting with their hands in the air while fireworks exploded overhead.

Capriles told supporters in a victory speech that “it’s difficult to come here and show a smile.”

“This is a difficult moment, but in every difficult moment opportunities emerge,” Capriles said, wearing a track suit emblazoned with the yellow, blue and red of the Venezuelan flag. “We have to strengthen ourselves more.”

The 53 percent voter turnout was considerably lower than the more than 80 percent who cast ballots in October’s presidential vote, when Chavez won another six-year term. Some said the closeness of the vote to Christmas and apparent apathy among some voters contributed to the relatively low turnout.

There were some complaints of improper campaigning on election day. While voting was under way, Vice President Nicolas Maduro urged supporters to vote for Chavez’s allies, while opponents called his remarks a violation of electoral rules.

Speaking at a news conference, Maduro implored voters: “Let’s not fail Chavez.” He addressed those who hadn’t cast ballots yet, saying, “Let’s not make a bad impression with our commander Chavez.”

Opposition leader Ramon Guillermo Aveledo said his remarks violated a prohibition on campaigning on election day, and called for the National Electoral Council to take action. Vicente Diaz, a member of the council, called Maduro’s comments inappropriate and he would take up the matter with the council.

The elections were seen as an important dry run for new presidential elections if cancer prevents Chavezfrom continuing. His supporters and opponents alike raised the possibility of a new presidential vote soon as they stood chatting while waiting to vote.

Chavez is due to be sworn in for another six-year term on Jan. 10. But if his condition forces him to step down, Venezuela’s constitution requires that new presidential elections be called promptly and held within 30 days.

Chavez said before undergoing the surgery that if he’s unable to continue, Maduro should take his place and run for president.

Tinker Salas said that their showing in the gubernatorial races means that in the event of a presidential vote, Chavez’s allies would go into it with strong campaign machinery.

Information for this article was contributed by Frank Bajak and Vivian Sequera of The Associated Press

Front Section, Pages 3 on 12/17/2012