Venezuelans defy ban on rallies ahead of poll

Fear of open civil conflict has prompted thousands of Venezuelans to join exodus to Colombia

Venezuela careened towards a showdown on its streets yesterday between anti-government protesters and security forces, raising international alarm at worsening deadly unrest and prompting the United States to order the families of embassy staff out.

The opposition called fresh nationwide demonstrations to defy a new government ban on rallies ahead of a controversial vote Sunday to elect a body to rewrite the constitution.

Four months of protests against unpopular leftist President Nicolas Maduro have already claimed 112 lives, according to prosecutors - seven of them during a two-day general strike that ended Thursday.

Tensions have been heightened by a decree from Maduro banning protests and warning that anyone who marches against the “Constituent Assembly” risks up to 10 years in prison.

The opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable, shot back with a tweet saying “the regime declared we can’t demonstrate... We will respond with the TAKING OF VENEZUELA.”

It called mass protests for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“The whole country must tell the world this Constituent Assembly has no legitimacy,” opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara said at a press conference.

Maduro countered by urging the opposition to “abandon the road to insurrection.”

He urged immediate dialogue, but signalled he was not backing down. Any talks, he said, should happen “before the election and installation of the Constituent Assembly.”

Fears of open civil conflict have prompted thousands of Venezuelans to join an exodus into neighbouring Colombia.

International concern has mounted, with the United States, European Union, United Nations and major Latin American nations urging Maduro to halt his plan.

The United States has imposed sanctions on 13 current and former Venezuelan officials to try to force a change, leading to Maduro branding the actions “illegal” and “insolent.”