委内瑞拉总统马杜罗宣布，在星期天结束的委内瑞拉制宪大会的投票中“获胜”。但当天投票过程中的暴力造成至少九人死亡。
反对派抵制了选举，他们表示，这一不得民心的行为将导致委内瑞拉陷入社会主义专制。
马杜罗说：“这是胜利的一天，有大量选民参加。让那些长着眼睛的人看一看。寡头没有为人民的眼睛和耳朵，他们是看不见的。我们关心人民真正关心的。”
然而抗议、暴力和死亡使星期天的选举笼罩在阴影之中。自上周五以来，已有至少九人死亡，使过去四个月示威中的死亡人数上升到120多人。
死者包括39岁的律师、制宪大会候选人何塞·菲利克斯·皮内达。他星期六晚在家中被人开枪打死。
星期天，有人在委内瑞拉首都加拉加斯向一个警察摩托车队投掷炸弹，造成四名警察受伤。还有一个警察局被人纵火。
支持和反对制宪大会的示威者在委内瑞拉各地发生冲突。反对者设置路障，警察则动用催泪弹和橡皮子弹。
反对派表示，选举是被操控的，呼吁抵制。尽管马杜罗声称选民参与积极，但在加拉加斯现场的记者说，十多个投票站几乎空无一人。
马杜罗星期天投下了第一票。他说，“这是为和平的第一票，为委内瑞拉主权和独立的第一票。”
他还呼吁国际社会承认这次选举。
他说：“我们坚决反对恐怖主义，犯罪和暴力。但愿世界会向我们的国家伸出手来。”
但美国拒绝。
美国常驻联合国大使尼基·黑利星期天发推特说，“马杜罗的伪选举是走向独裁的又一步。我们不会承认一个非法政府。委内瑞拉人民和民主将胜利。”
委内瑞拉新新宪法将包括哪些内容还不得而知。马杜罗曾说，这是让委内瑞拉走出严重的经济和社会危机以及停止近乎于无休止暴力的唯一途径。
批评人士说，只有马杜罗的支持者才是候选人，包括第一夫人弗洛雷斯、执政的统一社会党第一副主席卡贝罗。
独裁前奏？民调显示，超过70%的委内瑞拉人反对制宪大会。
反对派表示，545个席位的制宪大会将解散由反对派控制的议会，并将委内瑞拉变成一个社会主义专制国家。马杜罗的反对者要求提前举行总统选举。
川普政府已经对马杜罗政府几名高级别官员实施了经济制裁。一些美国最高级别议员对委内瑞拉民众表达了支持。
联合国也表示，对委内瑞拉局势感到严重关切。
全球能源价格下跌和政治腐败摧毁了委内瑞拉这个产油国的经济。
汽油、药品和基本必需品如食用油、面粉和糖出现短缺。很多委内瑞拉人要前往邻国哥伦比亚和巴西购买食物。
马杜罗把委内瑞拉的经济困境归咎于他所说的美帝国主义和在委内瑞拉国内的美国支持者。他对美洲国家组织的干涉发出警告，称干涉必将引发委内瑞拉的内战。
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is proclaiming Sunday's election for a assembly to rewrite the constitution a "success" despite violence that left at least nine dead.
The opposition boycotted the vote, saying the unpopular measure would result in a socialist dictatorship.
Maduro brushed off protesters' concerns: "It's been and it is a successful day with large participation. Let those who have eyes see. The oligarchy doesn't have eyes or ears for the people. They've always been invisible. ... We care about the people's truth."
But death, protests, and violence overshadowed the voting. At least nine deaths have been reported since Friday, bringing the death toll over the last four months of protests to more than 120.
They include 39-year-old lawyer Jose Felix Pineda, a candidate for the constitutional assembly, who was shot in his home Saturday night.
On Sunday, four motorcycle policemen were hurt when someone threw explosives at a convoy in Caracas. A police station was also set on fire.
Protesters both for and against the assembly battled each other across Venezuela, with the opposition blocking roads and police reacting with tear gas and rubber bullets.
The opposition said the vote was rigged and called for an election boycott. Despite Maduro's claim of a large participation, reporters on the ground in Caracas said dozens of polling places were nearly deserted.
Maduro cast the first ballot Sunday, calling it "the first vote for peace, the first vote for the sovereignty and independence of Venezuela."
The president urged the international community to accept the election.
"We've stoically withstood the terrorist, criminal violence. Hopefully the world will respectfully extend its arms toward our country," he said.
The United States will not.
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, tweeted Sunday that "Maduro's sham election is another step toward dictatorship. We won't accept an illegitimate government. The Venezuelan people and democracy will prevail."
Details on what is likely to be included in a new constitution are unclear. Maduro has said it is the only way to pull Venezuela out of its severe economic and social crisis and stop the seemingly endless violence.
Critics assert that only Maduro supporters are candidates, including first lady Cilia Flores, and the first vice president of the ruling United Socialist Party, Diosdado Cabello.
Prelude to dictatorship?Polls show more than 70 percent of Venezuelans oppose the assembly.
The opposition contends the 545-member constituent assembly would dissolve the opposition-controlled congress and turn Venezuela into a socialist dictatorship. Maduro opponents are demanding early presidential elections.
The Trump administration has already enforced economic sanctions on a number of high-ranking members of Maduro's administration. A number of top U.S. lawmakers have expressed their support for the citizens of Venezuela.
The United Nations has also said it is deeply concerned about the situation in Venezuela.
The drop in global energy prices together with political corruption have destroyed oil-rich Venezuela's economy.
Gasoline, medicine, and such basic staples as cooking oil, flour, and sugar are scarce. Many Venezuelans cross into neighboring Colombia and Brazil to buy food.
Maduro has blamed the country's woes on what he calls U.S. imperialism and its supporters inside Venezuela. He has warned against intervention by the Organization of American States, saying that would surely lead to civil war.
