The United States is pleased by the strong turnout for Sunday's presidential referendum in Venezuela, a State Department spokesman said Monday. Tom Casey told reporters during a press briefing that U.S. officials were pleased no violence occurred during the voting to determine if Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez should remain in office. Chavez said he won the referendum, but Casey would not comment. U.S. officials are waiting to hear from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Carter Center, a think tank started by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, before making any specific comments about the outcome, Casey said. “Any allegations of fraud, including those that are now being raised by the opposition, need to be fully investigated and looked at by the proper authorities in Venezuela,” he added. Casey expected officials at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas to meet with both OAS and Carter Center representatives to discuss the election, but he did not know when this would take place.
