"The United States condemns the elections imposed on July 30 for the National Constituent Assembly, which is designed to replace the legitimately elected National Assembly and undermine the Venezuelan people’s right to self-determination… We will continue to take strong and swift actions against the architects of authoritarianism in Venezuela, including those who participate in the National Constituent Assembly as a result of today’s flawed election," Heather Nauert, spokesperson for the US Department of State, said in a statement on Sunday.
She also expressed condolences to all Venezuelans, whose relatives or friends died during the ongoing protests.
"We condemn the use of violence by the [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro regime against citizens exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. We encourage governments in the hemisphere and around the world to take strong action to hold accountable those who undermine democracy, deny human rights, bear responsibility for violence and repression, or engage in corrupt practices," Nauert added.
Maduro announced his decision to convene the Constituent Assembly in early May, claiming it would bring peace to the South American country hit by months of violent protests. However, the opposition fear that the Constituent Assembly would allow Maduro to bypass the opposition-controlled parliament.
The election came amid protests that erupted across Venezuela in early April and have claimed the lives of over 110 people. They followed an unsuccessful attempt of the Venezuelan Supreme Court to absorb the legislative power of the country's parliament.
