Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)

On Sunday, Venezuelans elected 545 Constituent Assembly members - tasked with revising or rewriting the nation’s constitution.

The aim is restoring order after months of street violence - a US-orchestrated plot to replace Venezuelan democracy with fascist tyranny, complicit with internal dark forces, wanting the country returned to its bad old days, destroying Bolivarian social justice in the process.

According to National Electoral Council President Tibisay Lucena, turnout was 41.53% - 8,089,320 Venezuelans voting, many more than pre-election estimates. Opposition elements called for boycotting the election.

In the country’s April 2013 presidential election, over 79% of registered voters participated. In Hugo Chavez’s April 1999 Constituent Assembly voting 4,001,672 Venezuelans took part (37.8%) - a democratic breakthrough at the time, prelude to establishing the Bolivarian Republic.

Addressing thousands of supporters in Caracas on Sunday, President Nicolas Maduro said “(t)he people have delivered the constitutional assembly.”

“More than 8 million in the middle of threats, there were states where they crossed rivers and mountains, and they voted.”

“It’s when imperialism challenges us that we prove ourselves worthy of the blood of the liberators that runs through the veins of men, women, children and young people.”

“The people of Venezuela have given a lesson on democracy. We don’t care what Trump says. We care about what our people say.”

“This election will mark the future years of the independence of Latin America. Latin America will begin a new wave of struggle.”

Maduro again extended outreach to opposition forces to resolve differences and restore order. Earlier efforts were refused. Dark forces headquartered in Washington want regime change - opposed to democratic Bolivarian fairness.

Bolivian President Evo Morales expressed support for Venezuela’s constitutional process tweeting:

“The Constituent Assembly will triumph. Those who organize and finance violence that attacks Venezuela and burns anti-imperialist Chavistas alive must be tried in the ICC (International Criminal Court).”

Nicaragua expressed support for Sunday’s elections, a statement praising a “historic day for the brave people of Bolívar y Chávez, the President Nicolás, the United Socialist Party.”

Cuba and former Brazilian President Lula da Silva expressed support for Venezuela and Maduro’s constitutional process.

Following Washington’s lead, the EU, OAS, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, and Panama denounced the vote, refusing to recognize the results.

Sunday elections didn’t halt street violence. Maduro calling the newly elected Constituent Assembly a “place for dialogue” was ignored.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said “(w)e note with regret that the opposition forces not only failed to respond to the call to participate in the elections, but also tried to block them, provoking some clashes that caused human casualties.”

How America responds besides likely imposing stiffer illegal sanctions remains to be seen.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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