In Venezuela, a voter-turnout dispute

Associated Press

CARACAS, VENEZUELA

Venezuelans stayed away from the polls in massive numbers Sunday in a show of protest against a vote to grant President Nicolas Maduro’s ruling socialist party virtually unlimited powers in the face of a brutal socio-economic crisis and a grinding battle against its political opponents and groups of increasingly alienated and violent young protesters.

The government swore to continue its push for total political dominance of this once-prosperous OPEC nation, a move likely to trigger U.S. sanctions and new rounds of the street fighting that has killed at least 122 and wounded nearly 2,000 since protests began in April.

Venezuela’s chief prosecutor’s office reported seven deaths Sunday in clashes between protesters and police across the country.

Late Sunday, a key ally of Maduro’s said there was “record” participation in Sunday’s election for a constitutional assembly that he says will surprise the opposition, whose leaders contend turnout was exceptionally low.

Ruling socialist party leader Diosdado Cabello says that while the official National Electoral Council results are still being counted, “I can assure you there was record participation.”

However, organizers with Venezuela’s opposition say they stationed observers at every polling site and the preliminary results show Sunday had a small fraction of the turnout seen in previous elections voted.