At least five people were killed in renewed clashes between police and protesters in Venezuela, where a 48-hour strike called for by the opposition is taking place.

The Venezuela prosecutor's office said a 49-year-old man was killed during a protest in Carabobo state and a 16-year old died in El Paraiso, Caracas on Thursday.

That added to the previously announced deaths of a 23-year-old man and a 30-year-old man killed in western Merida state and a 16-year-old boy killed in the Caracas neighborhood of Petare during clashes on Wednesday.

The latest casualties bring to 108 the number of people killed in four months of violent protests against the government of President Nicolas Maduro, the AFP news agency said.

Maduro's opponents at home and abroad are attempting to pressure him into halting his plans to rewrite Venezuela's constitution with an election for a Constituent Assembly on July 30.

The opposition-led two-day strike is the latest effort to bring Venezuela to a standstill.

Highways were mostly empty, and businesses shuttered across the country as millions of people observed the protest.

Activists threw up roadblocks in many neighbourhoods to keep others from getting to work, but the protest soon turned violent.

The strike came as the United States announced sanctions on 13 senior Venezuelan officials.

The US Treasury Department issued the punishing measures, saying the "flawed" election process would undermine democracy.

A defiant Maduro hit back late on Wednesday, holding a campaign style rally where he presented some of those hit by US sanctions with replicas of a sword belonging to Latin American independence hero Simon Bolivar.

READ MORE: Venezuela has reached the 'zero hour': What's next?

"Congratulations for these imperialist sanctions," he said, before handing out the symbolic swords. "For us, it's a recognition of morality, loyalty to the nation, and civic honesty."

Maduro accuses the US of fomenting the unrest against him and his government, with the help of the conservative opposition.

'Constitutional fraud'

Venezuela is days away from starting the process of rewriting its constitution by electing members of a Constituent Assembly, which will override the current opposition-led legislature.

The opposition is boycotting Sunday's vote, saying election rules were rigged to guarantee Maduro a majority in the assembly.

Polling firm Datanalisis says some 70 percent of Venezuelans are opposed to the Constituent Assembly.

Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez appealed to the military, which is fiercely loyal to the president, to withdraw its support from Maduro's plan, which he called a "constitutional fraud" aimed at eliminating democratic rule.

"We are on the brink of their trying to annihilate the republic that you swore to defend," Lopez said in a 15-minute video message. "I ask you not to be accomplices in the annihilation of the republic."

After the strike, the opposition has planned a demonstration for Friday billed as a "takeover of Caracas."

"It's the only way to show we are not with Maduro. They are few, but they have the weapons and the money," decorator Cletsi Xavier told Reuters news agency.

Meanwhile, Telesur, a television network sponsored by several Latin American governments including Venezuela, reported that thousands of Maduro supporters rallied across the country on Wednesday in support of the election.

In a Twitter post, Diosdado Cabello, the vice president of the ruling Socialist Party, said Venezuela remained "absolutely calm". He posted pictures of hundreds of red-clad government supporters at a rally in the state of Monagas.

Amor con amor se paga, en Monagas como en toda Venezuela #LaConstituyenteSiVa, Pueblo en la calle, mi corazón de Patriota con ustedes pic.twitter.com/87tXVUnZjI — Diosdado Cabello R (@dcabellor) July 26, 2017

US sanctions

US officials said the individual sanctions aimed to show Maduro that Washington would make good on a threat of "strong and swift economic actions" if he goes ahead with Sunday's vote.

Among those hit by US sanctions were Tibisay Lucena, the president of the national elections council; Simon Zerpa, the vice president of the state oil company PDVSA; and prominent former ministers Iris Varela and Elias Jaua.

In addition, penalties will apply to several members of Venezuela's National Guard, police and other security services.

The administration of US President Donald Trump spared Venezuela from broader sanctions against its vital oil industry, but such actions were still under consideration.

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Thirteen countries in the 35-member Organization of American States, a regional political bloc, have also urged Maduro to suspend the election.

Adding to Venezuela's isolation, a major Latin American airline, Avianca of Colombia, said it would stop flights to and from Venezuela in mid-August. It cited security concerns for the move.

Meanwhile, thousands of Venezuelans have fled the unrest this week, crossing the border into Colombia laden with heavy bags.

"The elections are on Sunday, and we really don't know what will happen," Maria de los Angeles Pichardo, who left with her husband and son, told AFP news agency. "To be safe, we prefer to cross."</s>Fresh clashes lift number killed in four months of violence to more than 100, as Maduro's controversial election nears.

At least two people were killed in renewed clashes between police and protesers in Venezuela, where a 48-hour strike called for by the opposition is taking place.

Authorities said a 30-year-old man was killed in the mountainous state of Merida, and prosecutors reported that a 16-year-old boy had also died on Wednesday.

The latest casualties bring to 105 the number of people killed in four months of violent protests against the government of President Nicolas Maduro, the AFP news agency said.

Maduro's opponents at home and abroad are attempting to pressure him into halting his plans to rewrite Venezuela's constitution, with an election of a Constituent Assembly on July 30.

The opposition-led two-day strike is the latest effort to bring Venezuela to a standstill.

Highways were mostly empty and businesses shuttered across the country as millions of people observed the protest.

Activists threw up roadblocks in many neighborhoods to keep others from getting to work, but the protest soon turned violent.

The strike came as the United States announced sanctions on 13 senior Venezuelan officials.

The US Treasury Department issued the punishing measures, saying the "flawed" election process would undermine democracy.

A defiant Maduro hit back late on Wednesday, holding a campaign style rally, where he presented some of those hit by US sanctions with replicas of a sword belonging to Latin American independence hero Simon Bolivar.

READ MORE: Venezuela has reached the 'zero hour': What's next?

"Congratulations for these imperialist sanctions," he said, before handing out the symbolic swords. "For us, it's a recognition of morality, loyalty to the nation, and civic honesty."

Maduro accuses the US of fomenting the unrest against him and his government, with the help of the conservative opposition.

Venezuela is days away from starting the process of rewriting its constitution by electing members for a Constituent Assembly, which will override the current opposition-led legislature.

The opposition is boycotting Sunday's vote, saying election rules were rigged to guarantee Maduro a majority in the assembly.

Polling firm Datanalisis says some 70 percent of Venezuelans are opposed to the Constituent Assembly.

Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez appealed to the military, which is fiercely loyal to the president, to withdraw its support from Maduro's plan, which he called a "constitutional fraud" aimed at eliminating democratic rule.

"We are on the brink of their trying to annihilate the republic that you swore to defend," Lopez said in a 15-minute video message. "I ask you not to be accomplices in the annihilation of the republic."

After the strike, the opposition has planned a demonstration for Friday billed as a "takeover of Caracas."

"It's the only way to show we are not with Maduro. They are few, but they have the weapons and the money," decorator Cletsi Xavier told Reuters news agency.

US officials said the individual sanctions aimed to show Maduro that Washington would make good on a threat of "strong and swift economic actions" if he goes ahead with Sunday's vote.

Among those hit by US sanctions were Tibisay Lucena, the president of the national elections council; Simon Zerpa, the vice president of the state oil company PDVSA; and prominent former ministers Iris Varela and Elias Jaua.

In addition, penalties will apply to several members of Venezuela's National Guard, police and other security services.

The administration of US President Donald Trump spared Venezuela from broader sanctions against its vital oil industry, but such actions were still under consideration.

Thirteen countries in the 35-member Organization of American States, a regional political bloc, have also urged Maduro to suspend the election.

Adding to Venezuela's isolation, a major Latin American airline, Avianca of Colombia, said it would stop flights to and from Venezuela in mid-August. It cited security concerns for the move.

Meanwhile, thousands of Venezuelans have fled the unrest this week, crossing the border into Colombia laden with heavy bags.

"The elections are on Sunday and we really don't know what will happen," Maria de los Angeles Pichardo, who left with her husband and son, told AFP news agency. "To be safe, we prefer to cross."</s>Sunday is national cheesecake day and we found a place that's making this holiday sweeter than ever!</s>Two-day strike to begin Wednesday marks second large protest against Maduro, who is accused of power-grabbing moves.

Four days before the national vote to elect a Constituent Assembly, Venezuela's opposition has called on citizens to join a civic strike for 48 hours.

Starting on Wednesday, the strike will carry on through Thursday, and a mass march has also been called for on Friday.

"Businessmen, do not open [your businesses], workers do not attend work, and all people go out and [shut down] the streets," said Jose Manuel Olivares, consituent assembly deputy and opposition member.

The strikes and march are intended to voice disapproval with President Nicolas Maduro's plan to rewrite the constitution and move forward with the Constituent Assembly elections.

Maduro, whose term ends next year, says the initiative is the way to empower the people and bring peace to a country that has endured months of protests and clashes.

"I loathe all these strikes, and all the acts of violence that are taking place in my country. I'm sure that a country is not built by violence, by strikes, and by immobilising the population," Rossana Melendez, an environmental manager who supports the government, told Al Jazeera.

Yet critics say the assembly is intended to institutionalise what they view as a corrupt regime that does not want to leave power.

"It is time to give it all. Each citizen should ask what role will they play in the rescue of Venezuela, and ask if what they have done is enough and even question whether they can give more," said Freddy Guevara, a member of the opposition coalition, which is known as the MUD.

International pressure has also increased with warnings of sanctions by US President Donald Trump and a call during the last Mercosur summit to restore institutional order.

In response, Maduro said: "It is not possible to pretend that Donald Trump, or Juan Manuel Santos, or Mauricio Macri, will give orders to the government of Venezuela."

Maduro has said he will continue with the plans, despite the international pressure and the results of the unofficial referendum that took place last week, when more than six million Venezuelans voted against the constitutional reform.

"Tension is really high. There is more violence in the country. The opposition is threatening the population to vote against the Assembly," Leon, a Venezuelan doctor, told Al Jazeera.

Over the weekend, Maduro said his government was "ready for any scenario".

The government plans to deploy more than 230,000 soldiers to maintain stability on Sunday.

But many citizens are willing to press on with the strike.

"I participate in the strike as a protest at the government's initiative, and as a protest against the very poor conditions of life that the majority is experimenting," opposition supporter Amaranta Sofia told Al Jazeera.

"We probably won't stop them, but this shows that a majority is against the initiative, and that we are trying to exhaust all the possible peaceful ways to make this government leave," she added.

Simon Calzadilla, second vice-president of the National Assembly, urged people to prepare and stock up on food in the face of the protest and strike announced for the next three days.

The National Federation of Transport also announced its participation in the strike.

READ MORE - Venezuela has reached the 'zero hour': What's next?

"I am ready to reach a peace agreement, of national coexistence and a cycle of dialogue and talks," he said on Monday, during his weekly show.

Maduro has also urged citizens to come out on Thursday to the closing of the election campaign of the National Constituent Assembly in Caracas, saying: "Under rain, thunder or lighten we will continue with the election of the candidates for deputies to the Constituent Assembly."

Government supporter Rossana Melendez said that "more than 100 days of chaos" has exposed the opposition protesters' demands as "empty speech".

She argued that the demonstrators "do not [work] toward the reconciliation of the country; they do not work for Venezuela".
At least three protesters are killed across the country amid clashes with police as a two-day national strike called by the opposition begins.