Venezuelans urged to vote in presidential election

CARACAS - Venezuelans were urged on Saturday to cast their ballots in an upcoming presidential election to determine the course of the country.

"We need to maintain civil conduct on a day which respresents a crucial commitment for the nation," Pablo Perez, governor of Venezuela's most populous Zulia state, said in a televised speech.

"On Sunday it will be up to each person's conscience, but the next day we will all be just Venezuelans," he added.

Some 19 million Venezuelan voters will go to the polls on Sunday, in a race that pits incumbent President Hugo Chavez, who is promoting his so-called "21st century socialism", against opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who describes his goals as "progressive".

Latest poll gave Chavez 57 percent of voting intentions and Capriles 43 percent.

German Campos, who head the local 30:11 polling agency, said that the election would be fair and transparent.

Venezuelan elections are the most secure on the planet, Campos told state-run broadcaster Venezolana de Television, citing a report by election observing agency the Carter Center.

"The process is the best in the world," he said.

Campos said that the nation had managed to get virtually all qualified citizens onto the voter roll and that the government's literacy campaign, which had achieved essentially 100 percent literacy in the nation by 2005, had ensured transparency.

Sunday's election is a one-round, first-past-the-post system. There are six candidates in total, but only two are considered to have real chance of winning.