One woman has been killed after gunmen attacked a polling station in Venezuela during a vote organised by the national opposition.

Three more people were reportedly wounded in the attack, by armed men who arrived on motorbikes.

Footage showed voters running screaming from the gunmen, in a working class neighbourhood of the country's capital Caracas.

Venezuela's opposition coalition said the attack was carried out by "paramilitary groups" linked to the government of President Nicholas Maduro.

It targeted Venezuelans as they voted in a national consultation organised by the opposition in the hope of demonstrating rejection of President Maduro's plans to change the national constitution.


Venezuela violinist in unusual protest

The President's proposals, which include electing a new citizens' body to carry out a constitutional rewrite, have divided the country.

Critics say the proposed citizens' body is undemocratic and designed to sideline the parliament.

Violent protests in the last four months have resulted in the death of at least 100 people, as anti-government protesters have clashed with police.

Image: Some 2,000 polling stations inside Venezuela hosted the controversial vote

Protesters blame Mr Maduro for the country's economic crisis, while he insists the chaos is the result of a US-backed capitalist conspiracy by the opposition.

Supporters of the President boycotted Sunday's vote, which Mr Maduro has described as an "internal consultation by the opposition parties".

Opposition activists have said they will stay away from the vote on the constitution, which will take place in two week's time.

Julio Borges, who heads the opposition controlled parliament, said the vote was a watershed moment in the "fight to win back democracy for Venezuela".

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Tibisay Mendez, 49, who queued at one of the 2,000 polling stations set up around Venezuela, told the agency that he was "turning out to show our discontent with the government".

"We can't find medicines, every day there is less food in the country," the Caracas resident said.

Earlier this month supporters of Mr Maduro stormed the Venezuelan National Assembly, which is controlled by the opposition, and five opposition members of parliament were taken to hospital.

On the other side, Venezuelan police officer and movie star Oscar Perez boarded a helicopter and dropped grenades on the supreme court before opening fire on the interior ministry in an anti-government attack.

Police say an investigation has been opened into Sunday's shooting.