委內瑞拉制憲大會選舉結束，馬杜羅稱看到“勝利”

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.委內瑞拉總統馬杜羅宣佈，在星期天結束的委內瑞拉制憲大會的投票中“獲勝”。但當天投票過程中的暴力造成至少九人死亡。

反對派抵制了選舉，他們表示，這一不得民心的行爲將導致委內瑞拉陷入社會主義專制。

馬杜羅說：“這是勝利的一天，有大量選民參加。讓那些長着眼睛的人看一看。寡頭沒有爲人民的眼睛和耳朵，他們是看不見的。我們關心人民真正關心的。”

然而抗議、暴力和死亡使星期天的選舉籠罩在陰影之中。自上週五以來，已有至少九人死亡，使過去四個月示威中的死亡人數上升到120多人。

死者包括39歲的律師、制憲大會候選人何塞·菲利克斯·皮內達。他星期六晚在家中被人開槍打死。

星期天，有人在委內瑞拉首都加拉加斯向一個警察摩托車隊投擲炸彈，造成四名警察受傷。還有一個警察局被人縱火。

支持和反對制憲大會的示威者在委內瑞拉各地發生衝突。反對者設置路障，警察則動用催淚彈和橡皮子彈。

反對派表示，選舉是被操控的，呼籲抵制。儘管馬杜羅聲稱選民參與積極，但在加拉加斯現場的記者說，十多個投票站幾乎空無一人。

馬杜羅星期天投下了第一票。他說，“這是爲和平的第一票，爲委內瑞拉主權和獨立的第一票。”

他還呼籲國際社會承認這次選舉。

他說：“我們堅決反對恐怖主義，犯罪和暴力。但願世界會向我們的國家伸出手來。”

但美國拒絕。

美國常駐聯合國大使尼基·黑利星期天發推特說，“馬杜羅的僞選舉是走向獨裁的又一步。我們不會承認一個非法政府。委內瑞拉人民和民主將勝利。”

委內瑞拉新新憲法將包括哪些內容還不得而知。馬杜羅曾說，這是讓委內瑞拉走出嚴重的經濟和社會危機以及停止近乎於無休止暴力的唯一途徑。

批評人士說，只有馬杜羅的支持者纔是候選人，包括第一夫人弗洛雷斯、執政的統一社會黨第一副主席卡貝羅。

獨裁前奏？
民調顯示，超過70%的委內瑞拉人反對制憲大會。

反對派表示，545個席位的制憲大會將解散由反對派控制的議會，並將委內瑞拉變成一個社會主義專制國家。馬杜羅的反對者要求提前舉行總統選舉。

川普政府已經對馬杜羅政府幾名高級別官員實施了經濟制裁。一些美國最高級別議員對委內瑞拉民衆表達了支持。

聯合國也表示，對委內瑞拉局勢感到嚴重關切。

全球能源價格下跌和政治腐敗摧毀了委內瑞拉這個產油國的經濟。

汽油、藥品和基本必需品如食用油、麪粉和糖出現短缺。很多委內瑞拉人要前往鄰國哥倫比亞和巴西購買食物。

馬杜羅把委內瑞拉的經濟困境歸咎於他所說的美帝國主義和在委內瑞拉國內的美國支持者。他對美洲國家組織的干涉發出警告，稱干涉必將引發委內瑞拉的內戰。