Polls in a totalitarian society

Reminds me of the polls that I had seen from the former Soviet Union. Unfortunately, I think that election outcome in Venezuela will end up the same way as Soviet Union's election. The margins won't be as big, after all you can't completely ignore the size of the crowds, but the result will be the same.

But Venezuela's opposition calls those polls skewed, not just by the small samples, and their Chavez sponsorship, but the failure of U.S.-based pollsters to control for Venezuela's "fear factor," which keeps Venezuelans from revealing their true opinions out of fear of reprisals.

After all, oil workers have been directly threatened with firing by Venezuela's energy minister and Chavez has warned them to go into exile if they fail to vote for him. Other officials have suggested balloting won't be secret. . . . .