Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Despite the Efforts of the Opposition, Over 8 Million People Voted for the Constituent Assembly in Venezuela
Resumen Latinoamericano
01 Aug 2017
🖨️ Print Article
venezuela vote
Venezuelan voters

The government of President Nicolás Maduro claims more than 41 percent of registered voters went to the polls to elect candidates for a National Constituent Assembly that will rewrite Venezuela’s Constitution. The right-wing opposition attempted to disrupt the process. “Polls were open until 10pm to allow everyone to vote, because many government supporters had been prevented to vote in their designated centers by the opposition.”

Despite the Efforts of the Opposition, Over 8 Million People Voted for the Constituent Assembly in Venezuela

by Resumen Latinoamericano

This article previously appeared in The Dawn News.

“The massive turnout gives the Constituent Assembly ‘the strength of legitimacy.’”

The President of the CNE, Tibisay Lucena, announced the election results. 41,53% of the people registered to vote attended the polls to cast their vote on the National Constituent Assembly promoted by the legitimate President Nicolás Maduro.

Around 8 million 89 thousand 230 Venezuelans said Yes to the Constituent, Yes to the Bolivarian Revolution.

“We all won, within the democratic framework,” said the President of the National Electoral Council. “We congratulate the people of Venezuela for this wonderful participation”.

She explained that the polls were open until 10pm to allow everyone to vote, because many government supporters had been prevented to vote in their designated centers by the opposition. Nevertheless, Lucena noted that the Venezuelan people were patient and voted in peace.

“This unusual, extraordinary, unique and unexpected vote is a victory of peace,” she added.

Nicolás Maduro said: “This is the biggest election held by the Revolution in all of its history. He who has eyes can see it, he who has ears can hear it!”

He highlighted that the massive turnout gives the Constituent Assembly “the strength of legitimacy.” This allows the government to legally carry on with the process to pass a new Constitution.

The Opposition Rejected Dialogue

Maduro also spoke about the Venezuelan opposition, which had made calls to violence and carried out attacks and anti-democratic actions in 200 voting centers around the country.

Maduro revealed that a Government delegation had been meeting opposition leaders for several weeks, including the President of the Parliament, Julio Borges, to try to get them on board with the Constituent process.

“Two weeks ago I offered them to participate as candidates in the Constituent process. But they refused”, he said.

Twenty-one government officials were injured by firearms, a voting school in the Pascua Valley was attacked with two grenades, and a sub-sergeant of the National Bolivarian Guard was killed.

Venezulea

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • Press conference
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Press Conference Challenging Trump's Venezuela No Fly Zone
    12 Dec 2025
    The Peoples Assembly for Peace and Sovereignty of Our Americas convened in Venezuela, but many delegates were unable to attend due to the Trump administration declaring a no-fly zone. The Workers…
  • Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    We Are All Somalia
    10 Dec 2025
    Donald Trump’s anti-Somali rants are not directed solely at members of that group. All Black/African people are seen as suspects, as ungrateful criminals who are deserving of punishment and scorn.…
  • ​​​​​​​ Ajamu Baraka, BAR editor and columnist
    Lifting the Veil on International Human Rights Day: How Gaza Exposed the Oxymoron of Western Values and Human Rights
    10 Dec 2025
    The genocide in Gaza has torn off the West’s human rights mask. This naked colonial violence demands a new path where rights are won through people's struggle, not granted by the very states that…
  • Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    INTERVIEW: “We have to be together to withstand the fury of this wounded beast…” Shirley Graham Du Bois, 1975
    10 Dec 2025
    “...the point was to come together to stand against the common enemy. And this is the lesson that I hope we learn…”
  • Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    Women for Peace Collaborate to Support Rwanda, Congo, and Rwandan Political Prisoner Victoire Ingabire
    10 Dec 2025
    CODEPINK is collaborating with the International Women’s Network for Democracy and Peace, which works for peace and democracy in Africa, on a webinar on Rwanda, Congo, and the case of Rwandan…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us