Controversial new Venezuelan assembly inaugurated in Caracas
It is feared the new assembly will clamp down on dissent, after months of protests that left at least 120 people dead.
Friday 4 August 2017 21:53, UK
A new legislative body that is expected to rewrite Venezuela's constitution and give new powers to the ruling Socialist Party has been inaugurated in Caracas.
The 545-member assembly, which will operate in the same building as the existing opposition-run congress, has been condemned around the world over concerns that it will undermine democratic freedoms.
After a delayed its launch, it unanimously elected to its leadership well-known allies of President Nicolas Maduro.
There are suspicions that its initial focus will be on driving out dissent after four months of protests, which left at least 120 people dead and hundreds more in jail.
The country is suffering food and medicine shortages.
But former foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez, who will be the new assembly's president, said in an opening speech: "There is no humanitarian crisis here. What we have is love, what we have is a crisis of the right-wing fascists."
The Vatican had urged the Venezuela government to "avoid or suspend" the new assembly.
Brazil said on Friday it was recommending that Venezuela be suspended from the trade bloc Mercosur until it returned to democracy.
The assembly is due to meet again on Saturday, and Ms Rodriguez said it would take swift action.
"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."