Venezuela opposition dismisses 'eight million votes' claim

Venezuela's National Electoral Council has said more than eight million people voted to grant President Nicolas Maduro's ruling socialist party virtually unlimited powers with a constitutional assembly - a turnout more than double the estimates of both the government's political opponents and independent experts.

Council president Tibisay Lucena announced just before midnight local time that turnout in yesterday's vote was 41.53%, or 8,089,320 people.