Violence disrupted the election for Venezuela’s new Assembly, with at least seven people reported dead during widespread protests. One of those killed was a pro-government candidate, BBC reported.
The Opposition boycotted Sunday’s polls, calling it a way of consolidating leftist President Nicolas Maduro’s power. Maduro, who was elected in 2013, has faced massive criticism for the country’s spiralling economic crisis. The vote he had pressed for, which was held on Sunday, was meant to create a constituent assembly or short-term parliament, which will have the power to “rewrite the Constitution and override congress”, BBC reported.
The United States has been among the countries to condemn the violence in Venezuela, and has already placed sanctions against the country. On Sunday, the US threatened more sanctions in light of the Assembly vote and increased violence.
The results of the vote are likely to be out later on Monday.
Citizens boycott the polls
The people of Venezuela stayed away from the polls in large numbers, as a mark of protest against the president. Dozens of polling booths were empty, AP reported. The turnout during the election was 41.5%, the country’s Election Commission President Tibisay Lucena said.
Earlier in July, the right-wing Opposition had held a referendum, in which seven million citizens voted against the constituent Assembly, and sought to have early elections instead. Maduro has consistently rejected demands to hold elections.
Javier Farje, a Latin America political analyst, told Al Jazeera, “I believe the only solution is to restart the dialogue that was suspended in December 2016 when the opposition abandoned the dialogue because they disagreed with the government”.
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