In the wake of renewed protests and rebukes from the international community, including the United States, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was sworn in on Friday for a new term. Maduro took the oath of office in Venezuela’s legislative palace, extending what is being termed an ‘increasingly repressive rule.’ The legislative palace was heavily guarded by security guards as he delivered a fiery speech. His supporters, sporting pro-Maduro T-shirts, gathered in adjacent streets and a nearby plaza.
Maduro has accused his opponents as well as the United States of trying to turn his inauguration into a ‘world war.’ He termed opponents’ failure to block the third six-year term as “a great victory” for Venezuela’s peace and national sovereignty. The US accuses him of stealing the last year’s vote.
Maduro’s fiery speech
“I have not been made president by the government of the United States, nor by the pro-imperialist governments of Latin America,” he said, after being draped with a sash in the red, yellow, and blue of Venezuela’s flag.
He added, “I come from the people, I am of the people, and my power emanates from history and the people. And to the people, I owe my whole life, body, and soul.”
Moreover, aides to former lawmaker María Corina Machado, who is the main opposition figure of what’s left of Venezuela’s beleaguered opposition, have claimed that she was briefly detained by security forces.
What does the opposition say?
On Friday, she posted a video online. She said national guardsmen fired shots at her convoy, then dragged her off a motorcycle from behind and said they were taking her to prison.
The US, the UK, Canada, and the EU have announced new sanctions on Friday on more than 20 officials, accusing them of gutting Venezuela’s democracy. The Biden administration, citing Venezuela’s “severe humanitarian emergency,” also extended for 18 months a special permission allowing 600,000 Venezuelan migrants to stay in the US.
(With inputs from AP)
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