MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Observers caution Venezuelan opposition

The Carter Center which will act as observer of this Sunday's presidential recall referendum in Venezuela urged the opposition to desist from plans to release incomplete electoral results before the voting is over.

"We are in complete agreement with the rules set forth by National Electoral Council (CNE). Everyone should wait for the CNE to release the figures in its first bulletin. No one may disclose results before that" Carter Center spokeswoman Jennifer McCoy said after meeting with the CNE board of directors.

Ms. McCoy was accompanied to the meeting by former Presidents Raul Alfonsin of Argentina and Rodrigo Carazo of Costa Rica, and by the Carter Center's Venezuela delegate Francisco Diez.

Enrique Mendoza, leader of the opposition movement Democratic Coordinator, announced several times throughout the week that his coalition would release exit poll results before the CNE makes the official ones public.

Mr. Mendoza said preliminary ballot counts might be released up to four hours before the polls officially close at 18:00 hours Caracas.

Anyone in line to vote at closing time will still be allowed to cast his or her ballot, so any number of polling stations may remain open beyond the scheduled time. Ms. McCoy said referendum observers will meet with the Democratic Coordinator to "touch on these issues".

The Democratic Coordinator's position was criticized not only by the Carter Center but by the Organization of American States (OAS), the CNE, the Venezuelan Attorney General's Office and other groups monitoring the referendum.

Ms. McCoy also announced the upcoming arrival of former Colombian President Belisario Betancourt and former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Jimmy Carter, as well as a press conference on Monday at which Carter and OAS Secretary-General Cesar Gaviria will evaluate the referendum.

Ms. McCoy called on everyone to accept the outcome of the plebiscite "calmly and confidently".

This Thursday all electoral campaigning ended in accordance with the 48 hours ban rule before voting begins next Sunday.