Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory on Monday in an internationally criticised election for an assembly to rewrite the constitution, but the opposition cried fraud and vowed to keep protesting despite a deadly crackdown.

Ten people were killed in a wave of bloodshed that swept Venezuela on Sunday as Maduro defied an opposition boycott and international condemnation - including the threat of new US sanctions - to hold elections for a powerful new "Constituent Assembly."

The country was bracing itself on Monday morning for another wave of violent protests, which have now been erupting for months.