A couple weeks ago I wrote about how Venezuelan "president" Hugo Chávez apparently was in a pickle when the true results of his country's referendum became known. Oliver Kamm brings to light further developments, including a violation of Venezuelan law by Chávez's own minions (my emphasis):
The most scandalous mix of censorship and outright lies came on election day. Even though filtering of any exit poll is strictly forbidden, Reuters received the results of three pro Chavez pollsters from governmental officials, and in a mad race for the scoop announced that the Sí (that's the "yes" vote -- Hube) had won by up to six points. The Reuters report, promptly picked up by many newspapers, created a crisis in Venezuela as the CNE unnecessarily delayed announcement of the results until eight hours after polls closed, an incredible situation for an automated voting system. Eventually Reuters has been placed in the embarrassing situation of recognising that it made a mistake.
What a surprise. Kamm says it best, perhaps, with this (again, my emphasis):
The British press is thus more a victim than a functionary of this authoritarian and deceitful regime (and I've noted before how some fairminded and informed writers have been perplexingly prone to give Chávez a benefit of doubt that is not really present).
I highly recommend Kamm's blog. He is extremely intelligent and an excellent writer.