MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Crucial referendum for Venezuela?and oil markets.

With just a few days for the crucial recall referendum on President Hugo Chavez next Sunday, Venezuelan authorities have said they will guarantee oil exports and prevent violence regardless of who wins.

Vice president Jose Vicente Rangel in a meeting with foreign diplomats said that 100,000 troops will be deployed over the weekend and who ever wins, the supply of oil will be ensured.

There's a growing concern about what will happen once the polls are closed next Sunday. If President Chavez is forced to step down it's uncertain what the reaction of his well organized supporters could be particularly since he is so popular with the dispossessed in Venezuela that are a majority.

Similarly if the mostly middle class opposition looses. They are also well organized and have been trying to oust President Chavez for the last two years including an aborted coup and a several months strike.

The opposition considers Mr. Chavez a disguised dictator who has ruined the Venezuelan economy and wants to turn the country into another Cuba.

President Chavez is an admirer and close friend of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

In the current situation a disruption of Venezuelan oil supply could have a devastating impact in the world market since Venezuela is the United States fourth supplier of oil.

President Bush administration has no qualms about Mr. Chavez regime and has criticized some of its government actions and closeness with Fidel Castro.

President Chavez has repeatedly accused the United States, and the CIA, of meddling in Venezuela's internal affairs and has intelligently turned the recall referendum into an option between becoming a "US colony" or an "independent country ruled by the people".

Both sides have had opinion polls published indicating a clear victory over the opponents and an only independent by an American consultant company showed Mr. Chavez comfortably ahead.

"The bid news is that the big press last Sunday didn't publish any opinion polls, that is because we are clearly going to beat them", forecasted vice-president Rangel during a press conference.