CARACAS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday expressed confidence that upcoming elections for a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) will see the political opposition defeated at the polls.
"This Sunday July 30 the people are going to punish you at the polls," Maduro said.
Venezuelans are set to elect 545 members of the ANC, who will be tasked with debating amendments to the constitution.
The opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) is trying to stop the elections, fearing the amendments will serve to consolidate the ruling socialist party's hold on power.
MUD-led anti-government demonstrations, which have been taking place almost every day since April, intensified this week, along with a 48-hour general strike entering its second day on Friday.
Opposition protests have regularly vented their ire against government-run agencies, burning and vandalizing buildings.
"In 110 days, they have burnt, destroyed and attacked the headquarters of the GMMV (state-run housing program)," Maduro said at an event that marked the building of 1.7 million low-income housing units.
"But we have them beat, as we will see this Sunday July 30, when the people vote en masse for the constituent (assembly)," said Maduro.
In a jibe at opposition leader and legislator Julio Borges, who said he would shave his eyebrows if the constituent vote went ahead, Maduro said, "I will expect you on Monday well shaven."
Security has been bolstered in case the opposition attempts to disrupt the vote or block access to polling stations, with the government saying it has set up nearly 100 local centers to process those who commit electoral crimes.
Also on Friday, the MUD rejected the government's latest invitation for dialogue.
"We will not let up the pressure on false hopes," MUD spokesman Freddy Guevara told reporters at a press conference.
"The only way we are going to dialogue will be if they ties up and imprison us," said Guevara, calling on supporters to continue their street blockades to protest the constitutional initiative.
Maduro maintains only through the ANC can Venezuela find a negotiated way out of the political crisis and increasingly violent anti-government demonstrations, which have claimed more than 100 lives on both sides, including riot police.
Prosecutors announced the latest fatal victim during the clashes was Oneiver Quinones, a police officer in Ejido, in west Merida state, who died Friday after being shot Thursday during protests against the ANC.
His death is one of scores of cases now under investigation by authorities, who have also prosecuted several security officers for using excessive force against protesters.
