Opposition calls for fresh nationwide protests ahead of Sunday’s vote to elect a Constituent Assembly

Venezuela careened towards a showdown on Friday between anti-government protesters and security forces, as the death toll from months of demonstrations against embattled President Nicolas Maduro mounted — as did international concern about the spiralling violence.

The Opposition has called fresh nationwide demonstrations in defiance of a new government ban on rallies ahead of Sunday’s controversial vote to elect a body to rewrite the Constitution.

Four months of protests against Mr. Maduro have already claimed 113 lives, according to prosecutors — eight of them during a two-day general strike that ended on Thursday. Among the dead was a police officer who was shot in the head in the northwestern town of Ejido, prosecutors said on Friday. Tensions went up a notch on Thursday when Mr. Maduro issued a decree banning protests and warning that anyone who marches against his planned election of a “Constituent Assembly” risks up to 10 years in prison.

The Opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable, shot back on Twitter: “The regime declared we can't demonstrate... We will respond with the TAKING OF VENEZUELA.”

It called mass protests for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “The whole country must tell the world this Constituent Assembly has no legitimacy,” Opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara told a press conference.

Fear of open conflict

Mr. Maduro countered by urging the Opposition to “abandon the road to insurrection”.

He urged immediate dialogue, but signalled he was not backing down. Any talks, he said, should happen “before the election and installation of the Constituent Assembly”.

Fears of open civil conflict have prompted thousands of Venezuelans to join an exodus into neighbouring Colombia.

International concern has mounted, with the United States, European Union, United Nations and major Latin American nations urging Mr. Maduro to halt his plan. The United States has imposed sanctions on 13 current and former Venezuelan officials to try to force a change — measures Mr. Maduro said were “illegal” and “insolent”.