WASHINGTON – A New York congressman who monitored polling at a historical Venezuelan recall referendum yesterday said the Bush administration should accept a possible triumph by President Chavez, despite its disapproval for the policies of the leftist populist who leads one of the largest suppliers of oil to America.

“The United States will have to accept what the majority of the people of Venezuela want….And if Chavez is the winner, we have to recognize him as the democratically elected president and find a way to work together is in our best interest,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, a Democrat who represents southeast Queens, in a telephone interview from Caracas.

The flow of oil from Venezuela, one of America’s top suppliers, will continue smoothly regardless if Mr. Chavez retains the presidency, Mr. Meeks predicted.

“I don’t think there is going to be the kind of panic of 50 dollars a barrel should he win this referendum,” said Mr. Meeks, who foresaw “more uncertainty” if Mr. Chavez is recalled. A presidential election would be required to be held within 30 days. “But as long as they abide by the constitution, that is the democratic process and so be it,” he said.

Mr. Meeks blamed what he called the Bush administration’s silence in the face of an attempted coup against Mr. Chavez in 2002 for leading some Venezuelans to suspect that America supported the ouster, despite government denials. The incident is now fueling speculation that America funded the opposition movement to recall Mr. Chavez, according to Mr. Meeks. He said he has been offered to see documents purporting to prove American involvement.

“I’ve said let me see it. I don’t have any evidence or proof of it,” he said.

Mr. Meeks said he visited more than a dozen polling stations in Caracas yesterday, in both Chavista and pro-opposition neighborhoods. The voting appeared to be proceeding freely and fairly as of yesterday, he said. He estimated voter turnout to be at 80%, with lines snaking around the block at every polling station he visited and voters waiting for hours to cast their ballots.

“There is no hint of violence or anything of that nature,” said Mr. Meeks, who said was given complete access to polling stations. He said he traveled with a driver, two American embassy employees, and a representative of the Venezuelan election council that runs the elections. “They are fingerprinting and make sure that one person is voting only one time,” he said.

In a statement last week, Secretary of State Powell called for a free vote. “If conducted freely, fairly, and transparently, the referendum will be an important step towards a peaceful, electoral, democratic, and constitutional solution of Venezuela’s long-standing political crisis,” he said.

Some critics have warned of fraud in the election process, complaining about everything from the design of ballots to alleged attempts to intimidate opponents. They fear Mr. Chavez will manipulate the vote to consolidate his hold on the presidency, after having promulgated a new constitution to enhance his own powers.

A former Venezuelan ambassador to the United Nations, Milos Alcalay, said he would accept the outcome of the referendum only if it is endorsed by the international monitors from the Carter Center and the Organization of American States. He said he did not trust Venezuela’s election council, which he called “very militant and partisan with the government.”

But given Mr. Chavez’s attempts to prevent the referendum from taking place, yesterday’s vote was itself “a new reiteration of democracy in Venezuela,” regardless of the outcome, said Mr. Alcalay, who quit his post last winter in protest of Mr. Chavez’s policies.

“All Venezuelans are conscious of the very unfair situation that this recall is being made, but all Venezuelans are confident that even with all these problems democracy will prevail and there will be new hope for millions of Venezuelans,” he said.