▁of ▁hand over ▁to ▁a ▁non - trad itional ▁party ▁raised ▁the ▁st akes ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁demonstr ating ▁that ▁the ▁elections ▁would ▁be ▁fair , ▁and ▁Venezuela ▁invited ▁international ▁election ▁obser vers ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁The ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁American ▁States , ▁European ▁Union , ▁Carter ▁Center ▁and ▁International ▁Republican ▁Institute ▁all ▁sent ▁deleg ations . ▁ ▁The ▁autom ated ▁vote ▁system ▁enabled ▁the ▁Elect oral ▁Council ▁to ▁announ ce ▁the ▁results ▁within ▁ 2 . 5 ▁hours ▁of ▁the ▁pol ls ▁closing . ▁After ▁cor ro bor ating ▁the ▁results ▁with ▁the ▁Carter ▁Center , ▁the ▁losing ▁candidate ▁conced ed ▁several ▁hours ▁later . ▁ ▁Camp aign ▁ ▁The ▁campaign ▁was ▁domin ated ▁by ▁independent ▁candidates , ▁as ▁the ▁elect or ate ▁completed ▁the ▁turn ▁against ▁the ▁establishment ▁parties ▁begun ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁In ▁the ▁final ▁poll ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁I rene ▁S á ez , ▁a ▁former ▁beauty ▁queen ▁( Miss ▁Un iverse ▁ 1 9 8 1 ) ▁and ▁mayor ▁of ▁the ▁Car ac as ▁district ▁of ▁Ch ac ao , ▁reached ▁almost ▁ 7 0 % ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁candidate . ▁However , ▁despite ▁sp ending ▁millions ▁of ▁dollars ▁on ▁public ity , ▁she ▁fell ▁below ▁ 1 5 % ▁within ▁six ▁months , ▁as ▁the ▁public ▁became ▁increasing ly ▁s cept ical ▁of ▁her ▁read iness ▁for ▁the ▁Pres iden cy , ▁and ▁as ▁she ▁lost ▁cred ibility ▁as ▁an ▁anti - est ab