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. 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 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 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. 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. "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. 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." 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. 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. Starting on Wednesday, the strike will carry on through Thursday, and a mass march has also been called for on Friday. "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. They are few, but they have the weapons and the money," decorator Cletsi Xavier told Reuters news agency. 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. 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. OPINION: Maduro is not Chavez

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."
At least three protesters are killed across the country amid clashes with police as a two-day national strike called by the opposition begins.