The Venezuelan government on Tuesday vowed to go ahead with a vote to rewrite the country's Constitution despite Washington's threats of economic sanctions.
“Nothing and nobody can stop it. The Constituent Assembly is happening,” Foreign Minister Samuel Moncada told a news conference. The remark came a day after US President Donald Trump warned of “strong and swift economic actions” against Venezuela if the Constituent Assembly election is held.
Venezuela, which almost entirely relies on oil exports for revenues, ships 270 million barrels of crude a year to the United States.
President Nicolas Maduro's plan faces stiff domestic opposition. Last weekend, 7.6 million voters, out of a total 19 million, cast ballots to reject the plan in a mock referendum.
Angered by widespread shortages of goods, skyrocketing consumer prices and rampant crime, Venezuelans have taken to the streets to demand a change in leadership.
Nearly 100 people have been killed in protests over the last three months.
