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Venezuela's advanced electronic voting system is the most reliable anywhere. Results are 100% auditable. Machines activate only by voter fingerprint. Doing so prevents fraud and identity theft.
Voters get paper printouts for verification. Full manual tabulations are easily made. In August 2012, Carter Center director Jennifer McCoy also called Venezuela's system "the most comprehensive (she's) seen in the world."
Post-election audits conducted showed no "significant discrepancy between the paper receipts and the electronic votes."
Polls show Chavez comfortably ahead. Petras expects about a 55 - 45% victory. Based on latest poll numbers, he's ahead on average by 12%. Many polls give him an approval rating of 60% or higher.
Despite little evidence suggesting Capriles winning, fears exist that right-wing opponents won't accept final results. Some Chavistas expect opposition forces declaring victory before official tallies are announced.
At issue is discrediting them and claiming fraud. Corporatists stop at nothing. They're always up to no good. We'll soon know what they have in mind. Don't expect congratulations extended when Chavez wins convincingly. They've spent years trying to oust him and won't quit now.
Rejecting legitimacy fits the way they operate. They'll do anything to regain power. In 2002, their two-day coup d'etat failed. Popular demonstrations helped overturn it. Their 2003 64-day oil industry lockout also failed.
In 2004, they called recall referendum totals fraudulent despite Chavez winning 58 - 42%. In 2005, they boycotted the parliamentary elections because they had no chance to win.
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