U.N. appeals for calm in Venezuela ahead controversial vote

The Venezuela government of President Nicolas Maduro must allow peaceful protests and freedom of expression, the United Nations said on Friday in an appeal for calm ahead of Sunday's elections for the new Constituent Assembly.

The U.S. government ordered family members of employees at its embassy in Venezuela to leave on Thursday as a political crisis deepened ahead of a vote critics contend will end democracy in the oil-rich country.

"The wishes of the Venezuelan people to participate or not in this election need to be respected. No one should be obliged to vote, while those willing to take part should be able to do so freely," U.N. human rights spokeswoman Liz Throssell told a briefing.

"We hope that the poll scheduled for Sunday, if it goes ahead, will proceed peacefully and in full respect of human rights."

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)