Venezuelan Opposition Already Preparing to Reject Results and Cry Fraud

With the voting centers now closed in Venezuela, the first exit polls are, according to one news agency, showing a win for the proposed constitutional reform. Reuters cites two “government-linked sources” who said three exit polls gave the “yes” vote a six-to-eight-point lead.

But sectors of the opposition are already preparing to reject the result. A correspondent for the Internet radio station Radio Venezuela en Vivo, reported that student and other opposition leaders were seen in Zulia state distributing blue shirts emblazoned with the word “fraud.” Just as in the revocatory referendum of 2004, opponents of Chávez and his movement are unwilling to consider the idea that they might have lost - the only possible options are a “no” victory or fraud. This comes after the revelation of a video of opposition leaders, including a serving mayor, speaking in a church and encouraging followers to reject the referendum’s results before voting had even begun.

As opposition blogger Francisco Toro has pointed out, the voting process in Venezuela is extremely transparent, and fraud will be almost impossible to hide.  

Developing...