CARACAS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan National Constituent Assembly (ANC) decided to assume the functions of the National Assembly to "preserve peace and sovereignty," according to a decree approved on Friday in the capital.
The ANC's determination came after the opposition-controlled National Assembly's directive board rejected the call to attend to the constituent assembly's session on Friday.
Of Venezuela's five branches of government, the executive, judicial, electoral, citizen and legislative, the legislature is the only one which did not appear on Friday's session of ANC.
Delcy Rodriguez, the president of the ANC, said the decision was made to "rebalance the country politically" and "this is a space for national dialogue but there are empty chairs, when they are summoned to peace."
