7.2 million Venezuelans vote against Maduro in symbolic election

PanARMENIAN.Net - Venezuela's opposition voted en masse Sunday, July 16 against President Nicolas Maduro and his plan to rewrite the constitution, hoping to use this success to demand a change of government after nearly four months of violent protests, AFP reports.

Deadly violence returned as a 61-year-old woman was killed and three other people wounded when gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on people lined up to vote in Catia, a working-class neighborhood in the capital, prosecutors said.

Nearly 7.2 million Venezuelans -- lower than the projected 10.5 million out of 19 million possible voters -- cast ballots in the symbolic election against Maduro, university guarantors said with 95 percent of votes counted.

Venezuela "sent a clear message to the national executive and the world," announced Central University of Venezuela president Cecilia Garcia Arocha, noting that 6,492,381 voted in the country and 693,789 abroad.

Garcia said final results would be released Monday.

"We do not want to be Cuba, we do not want to be a country without freedom," said Julio Borges, leader of the opposition-controlled parliament.

"Today, Venezuela said yes to a dignified country, a democratic country, a country where people do not have to go because they have no future. The mandate the people have given us is clear."

The woman's death brought to 96 the number of people who have died in nearly four months of protests and political agitation in Venezuela's streets.

The opposition blamed the attack on "paramilitary groups" linked to the government.

The central question before voters concerned Maduro's intention to hold an election on July 30 to choose 545 members of a citizens' body called the "Constituent Assembly" that would redo the constitution.