Venezuelan couple says vote has left their country 'in a mess'

Two Venezuelan-born Londonerssay they support international sanctions against the country of their birth, arguing that President Nicolas Madurohas left the nationin turmoil.

• Canada condemns Venezuela's 'undemocratic' vote

• Maduro claims new mandate in Venezuela after bitter vote with disputed turnout

"Right now, Venezuela is a mess and we aren't going to get out of this anytime soon," saidDesiree Agudelo. She and her partner Felix Roa came to London in 2003 as conditions in their country under then president Hugo Chavez began to deteriorate.

Venezuelan election officials say more than eight million people voted Sunday for a new constitutional assembly thatwill give Maduro's ruling party virtually unlimited powers. However, international observers and analysts from around the world have condemned the vote as fraudulent.

Opposition leaders arrested

Opposition leaders estimated the real turnout at less than half the government's claim in a vote watched by government-allied observers but no internationally recognized poll monitors.

Madurohas said he will not deviate from this stated plan to rewrite the constitution and go after his enemies.

Meanwhile, opposition politicians have been arrested in recent days.

• Venezuela opposition leaders taken from homes overnight

"The government is spending a lot of money to show people outside the country that everything is normal while Venezuelan people are suffering with no food, no medicine," saidAgudelo.

Fearing for their safety, Agudeloand Roa say have not been back to Venezuela since leaving in 2003.

Canadian officials havecondemned Sunday's vote, but have so far stopped short offollowing the Trump administration in imposing sanctions.

Roa said sanctions are important way to highlight the plight of Venezuela's 31 million people who he says "just want peace."

"At least it's a way to recognize what is happening inVenezuela, and that's very important to us. The people need some support from the outside."

Madurocalled for the new constitutional assembly in May after a month of protestsagainst his government, which has overseen Venezuela's descent intoa devastating crisis during its four years in power.

Due to plungingoilprices and widespread corruption and mismanagement, Venezuela's inflation and homicide rates are among the world's highest, and widespread shortages of food and medicine have citizens dying ofpreventable illnesses and rooting through trash to feed themselves.

Agudelosays conditions in her home country can't improve under the current regime.

"We need a new government," she said.

• Venezuelans fear for their future after unpopular vote