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Venezuela opens disputed new constituent assembly Venezuela opens disputed new constituent assembly
(about 3 hours later)
The Venezuelan government has opened a controversial new constituent assembly, defying anger at home and strong criticism abroad. Venezuela's controversial new assembly has opened despite fierce opposition at home and abroad.
President Nicolás Maduro says the new body, which has the power to rewrite the constitution, is needed to bring peace after months of crisis. President Nicolás Maduro says the constituent assembly is needed to bring peace after months of crisis.
But the opposition sees the assembly as a power grab and has called for mass protests against it. But the opposition says the new body, which has the ability to rewrite the constitution, is a way for the president to cling to power.
The Pope has urged Catholic-majority Venezuela to suspend the new body. The Vatican has joined worldwide condemnation of the assembly by calling it to be suspended.
The first session of the 545-member constituent assembly began on Friday. Among those sitting will be Mr Maduro's wife and son. On Friday though thousands of government supporters gathered in the capital Caracas to cheer and wave flags as the new members took office. Some carried pictures of late leader Hugo Chávez and the independence hero Simón Bolivar.
Thousands of government supporters gathered in the capital Caracas to cheer and wave flags as the members took office. Some carried pictures of late leader Hugo Chávez and the independence hero Simón Bolivar. Among those sitting for the first time in the 545-member assembly are Mr Maduro's wife and son.
The body will sit in the same building as the opposition-controlled National Assembly and can override its decisions. A close ally of Mr Maduro, former foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez, was elected president.
The election for the new assembly was boycotted by the opposition and marred by violence and accusations of fraud. Her opening speech attacked the opposition as "fascist" and warned the international community against interfering.
The company that provided the voting system in the election alleged that turnout numbers had been inflated, but in a blow to the opposition a top court threw out a bid to halt the assembly's installation. What is the new body - and why is it so controversial?
President Maduro insists the poll was a "vote for the revolution", arguing that the move would create peace and foster dialogue by bringing together different sectors of Venezuela's polarised society. Constituent assemblies are set up for the specific purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution, and as such can fundamentally change how a country is run.
But the Vatican on Friday urged the government to suspend the assembly, which it argued fomented "a climate of tension" rather than reconciliation and peace. Venezuela is mired in a deep economic crisis and has seen waves of violent protests, and Mr Maduro presented the assembly as a way of promoting "reconciliation and peace".
The Vatican is only the latest voice to speak out: the US has imposed sanctions, with the Trump administration labelling Mr Maduro a "dictator". But the opposition has cried foul. The new assembly has the power to bypass and even dissolve the current opposition-led National Assembly.
The European Union and several major Latin American nations say they will not recognise the new body. The two bodies are expected to run in parallel in the Legislative Palace in Caracas.
Venezuela is caught in a political and economic crisis, and has seen waves of anti-government protests. How widely is it supported?
Inflation is rampant and there have been severe shortages of food and medicine. The election for the constituent assembly was marred by violence and accusations of fraud.
However, President Maduro retains the support of key state institutions, most importantly the army. Venezuela's electoral authorities said more than eight million people, or 41.5% of the electorate, had voted, a figure the company that provided the voting system said was inflated.
The opposition boycotted the poll and also held an unofficial referendum in which they said more than seven million Venezuelans voted against the constituent assembly.
They have called for mass protests against the new body but demonstrations so far appear to have been muted.
How does the international community see it?
In its statement the Vatican argued the assembly fomented "a climate of tension" rather than reconciliation and peace.
The US has imposed sanctions on Mr Maduro, with the Trump administration calling him a "dictator".
The European Union and major Latin American nations say they will not recognise the new body.
Mr Maduro retains a major ally in Russia, however, and has the support of several left-wing nations in the Americas.