Update on the Venezuelan elections

This is from an email by a well-connected source in Venezuela (edited). More coming soon.

Historically, elections for the parliament have had high levels of abstention. So, expecting a high level again was common sense. It was increased by suspicions regarding the electoral system and the arbiter, the CNE. The opposition saw many polls where the projections were for about 75% abstention, and immediately - especially after demonstrating that the finger print hunter machine could show how you voted - decided to withdraw. The government was alone in the contest, calling for a support of 10,000,000 votes, but it never happened. Abstention included not only the opposition, but also supporters of the government wearied by the poverty, insecurity and so on. It doesn't mean that 75% of the citizens are against Chávez, but although they have 100% of the seats in Congress, they have a huge problem, a political crisis even if they don't accept it.