All-powerful assembly opens amid protests

Political crisis intensifying in Venezuela

TOMORROW WE START TO ACT. THE VIOLENT FASCISTS ... JUSTICE IS COMING FOR YOU.

• Defying criticism from Washington to the Vatican, Venezuela’s ruling party on Friday installed a new super assembly that supporters promise will pacify the country and critics fear will be a tool for imposing dictatorship.

The constitutional assembly’s first order of business was selecting its head — former Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez, a loyal follower of President Nicolas Maduro.

The nomination was approved unanimously by the 545 delegates, who marched to the legislative palace led by socialist party leader Diosdado Cabello and first lady Cilia Flores and accompanied by hundreds of red-shirted government supporters.

The assembly was scheduled to meet again Saturday, and Rodriguez pledged it would be taking action against Maduro’s political opponents.

“Don’t think we’re going to wait weeks, months or years,” she said. “Tomorrow we start to act. The violent fascists, those who wage economic war on the people, those who wage psychological war, justice is coming for you.”

The installation of the all-powerful constitutional assembly is virtually certain to intensify a political crisis that has brought four months of protests that left at least 120 people dead and hundreds jailed. Maduro vows the assembly will strip opposition lawmakers of their constitutional immunity from prosecution, while members of congress say they will only be removed by force.

An increasing number of foreign governments have sided with the opposition, refusing to recognize the constitutional assembly and further isolating Maduro’s government.

On Friday, the Vatican urged Maduro to suspend the new body, expressing “deep worry for the radicalization and worsening” of the turmoil in Venezuela.

The opposition boycotted the July 30 election of the constitutional assembly, saying the rules were rigged to further entrench Maduro’s “dictatorship.”

The results of the election have come under mounting scrutiny after the international company that provided the electronic voting machines said that “without any doubt” the official turnout had been tampered with — a charge dismissed by Maduro and the National Electoral Council.