The vote had been expected for December 2010, but the National Election Commission set the earlier date late on Wednesday in a move that may complicate the opposition’s efforts to organize themselves in time.
They boycotted the last assembly vote in December 2005, handing the Chavez government total control of the assembly and enabling him to push forward his socialist policies in the oil-producing nation of 28 million people.
The election commission, a state body appointed by the assembly which critics say makes it biased towards Chavez, gave no reasons for the September date.
