In Boston for the Democratic Convention last August, KPFK radio host Margaret Prescod got a call asking her if she could act as an official observer to Venezuela's historic recall referendum on President Hugo Chavez. And she'd have to come right away.

Prescod, who already knew and loved the country and its people, was ready to take up the challenge. She was one of 120 official international election observers from dozens of countries who would be the eyes and ears to the world about whether or not this would be a free and fair vote, as has subsequently been confirmed by all international observers.

She recounted her experience at the East Side Cafe in Alhambra a week ago Sunday, in a benefit for the Million Workers' March in Washington this past Sunday.

Prescod engagingly described the intensity of the process to an audience of about 100, explaining how the observers - who included well-known people like Danny Glover, but also people from less-known developing countries put on their gray CNE vests and began the serious effort to observe if the referendum was free and fair. Everyone took the task quite seriously.

Prescod said she watched as grassroots efforts to mobilize voters began early, with neighborhood activists blowing horns early to wake up voters, urging them to get into line and vote. Prescod recounted that in working class neighborhoods, people came well prepared with small lunches like tangelos and water. They played music while they waited and wore sunhats. Meanwhile, there was more grumpiness in the upper class voting districts, where there was less understanding of the concept of waiting in line, and fewer people came prepared.

Neighborhood activists told Prescod that there was also preparation before the horns sounded - with neighborhood activists urging voters to commit to voting, even among individuals in neighborhoods who were opposed to President Chavez. She said the activists made an effort to talk to those people, to ask them what they needed to get support, and worked hard as a neighborhood to satisfy those needs.

On referendum day, it all went off without a glitch, with high turnout. Women in particular told her how proud they were to be able to participate, many for the first time in their lives. Prescod observed from central Caracas and also from outlying areas to get a comprehensive picture, and observers were sent all over the country by bus. By coincidence, Prescod was in the same room when there was a commotion of some sort. She looked up and who should be coming to cast his vote by President Chavez himself.

After the results were announced, a huge party followed in central Caracas, with workers and poor people, invisible workers like women well represented. And it was all free and fair.

Prescod will recount more of her experiences again on KPFK 90.7 in Southern California on Tuesday at 7 a.m. - 8 a.m.

http://www.kpfk.org/