Venezuela's Roman Catholic Church has criticised President Nicolás Maduro's decision to have the constitution rewritten.
According to the BBC, the head of the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Diego Padron, said the reforms would transform the country into a "military dictatorship".
The president issued a decree in May to create a popular assembly that will write a new constitution.
The church leader's intervention comes after the opposition have been boycotting the vote to choose the assembly's members. The vote will take place 30 July.
Archbishop Diego said: "This assembly will be imposed by force and its result will be that constitutional status will be given to a military, socialist, Marxist and communist dictatorship."
Padron also criticised the attack against members of the opposition-held National Assembly by government supporters on Wednesday.
Pro-government militias wielding wooden sticks and metal bars stormed congress and began attacking opposition politicians during the special session coinciding with Venezuela's Independence Day. Four politicians were injured.
Archbishop Diego added: "This attack shows that the government is unwilling to abandon violence."
President Maduro's opposition accuse the government of trying to establish a dictatorship by jailing foes, pushing aside the opposition-controlled legislature and rewriting the constitution to avoid fair elections.
However, he contests that it will bring peace to Venezuela and has accused the opposition of plotting a right-wing coup.
Despite the violence, politicians approved a plan by the opposition to hold a symbolic referendum on July 16 that would give voters the chance to reject Maduro's plans to draft a new political charter.
Later Mr Maduro condemned the violence, calling for a full investigation during a speech while attending a military parade.
