The Venezuelan government says it will guarantee oil exports and prevent violence regardless of who wins next Sunday's vote on President Hugo Chavez.
Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel told a meeting of foreign diplomats that more than 100,000 troops would be deployed during and after the vote.
With just five days left before the polls, there is a growing sense of nervousness about what might follow.
If Mr Chavaez fails to get a majority, he will be forced to step down.
That is likely to provoke a sharp reaction from his supporters who revere him as a hero of the poor.
If his opponents lose, that, too, could bring people out onto the streets.
Reassurances
They accuse Mr Chavez of being a dictator who has ruined the economy of this oil-rich country.
The opposition have been trying to get rid of Mr Chavez for more than two years, first in a failed coup, and then last year by organising a two-month long national strike.
That shut down Venezuela's oil industry and caused turmoil on international markets.
With prices already sky high, any disruption now could have a similar effect.
On Sunday President Chavez warned the United States that he would cut off supplies if they tried to intervene after the referendum. Venezuela is the fourth largest supplier of oil to the US.
Although high prices mean a windfall for Mr Chavez, the vice president's comments seem to be an attempt to reassure investors that it is business as usual, at least for now.
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