Bishops in Venezuela pleaded for the intercession of the Virgin Mary to free their country from the “claws of communism and socialism” as President Nicholas Maduro claimed Sunday’s (30 July) poll as a “vote for the revolution”.
The national electoral council said more than eight million people had turned out to vote for members of the constituent assembly who will be tasked with rewriting the country’s constitution.
The opposition immediately disputed the number, saying less than half that number had taken part. They added that many voters had boycotted a vote that would effectively turn the country into a dictatorship.
In a prayer posted to Twitter the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference wrote: “Most Holy Virgin, Mother of Coromoto, heavenly Patron of Venezuela, free our homeland from the claws of communism and socialism.”
Sunday's vote was marked by the worst violence since protests against the Maduro government began in April. The opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, said as many as 14 had died in protests as voting was under way and the prosecutor’s office confirmed at least six people had been killed by gunfire, including a national guardsman.
Late on Sunday evening, electoral officials announced the winners of the vote, a list of leftist stalwarts including Cilia Flores, president Maduro’s wife.
The result effectively removes the Venezuelan political opposition and leaves the ruling socialist party with almost complete control over the country.
Maduro hailed the vote as a victory over imperialism in a speech on national television late on Sunday.
“It’s when imperialism challenges us that we prove ourselves worthy of the blood of the liberators that runs through the veins of men, women, children and young people,” he said.
However, the European Union has condemned “the excessive and disproportionate use of force by security forces” and said it had serious doubts whether the election could be recognised.
“Venezuela has democratically elected and legitimate institutions whose role is to work together and to find a negotiated solution to the current crisis. A constituent assembly, elected under doubtful and often violent circumstances, cannot be part of the solution,” the bloc’s foreign policy service said.
Days before the vote, the Venezuela’s bishops’ conference said it was "unconstitutional as well as unnecessary, inconvenient and damaging to the Venezuelan people, "
"It will be a biased and skewed instrument that will not resolve but rather aggravate the acute problems of the high cost of living and the lack of food and medicine that the people suffer and will worsen the political crisis we currently suffer," the statement said.
The new assembly will be convened within 72 hours of the vote.
PICTURE: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro delivers a speech in Caracas during the closing campaign ceremony for the 27 July Constituent Assembly election. The banner reads "Power"
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