Voting began in Venezuela to elect a new assembly with powers to rewrite the constitution. The opposition is boycotting the vote saying it is a power grab by President Nicolás Maduro.The government says the constituent assembly is the only way to bring peace back to the country after months of violent protests.
On the eve of the vote, protesters blocked roads in the capital Caracas in defiance of a ban on demonstrations. In a speech broadcast on TV, President Maduro predicted a big victory, calling the vote the most important election held in Venezuela’s political system.
