Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for a third term as Venezuela's president on Friday, extending his rule until 2031. The ceremony, held in the National Assembly controlled by his allies, unfolded amid unresolved allegations of electoral fraud and the looming presence of opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia, who has vowed to return to Caracas and claim the presidency himself.
Adding to the political tension, opposition leader María Corina Machado was reportedly detained and then swiftly released under unclear circumstances following a rally in Caracas on Thursday. Machado described her brief detention as violent, alleging coercion to record videos while in custody. The government, however, labeled the incident a "false flag operation" intended to create chaos.
Maduro, standing before an original copy of the Constitution signed by his predecessor Hugo Chávez, declared his intent to usher in a period of "peace, prosperity, and new democracy.":
"I swear by the historic, noble, and courageous people of Venezuela and before this Constitution that I will uphold all its mandates, ushering in a new era of peace, prosperity, and new democracy"
El momento en el que Nicolás Maduro consuma su golpe de Estado y se proclama presidente de Venezuela pese a la derrota electoral. 👇 pic.twitter.com/XTDvmVwkNc
— THE OBJECTIVE (@TheObjective_es) January 10, 2025
The event was attended by senior government officials, including the defense minister and the president of the Supreme Court, but saw limited participation from other South American leaders as many in the international community have refused to recognize him as the rightful winner. Miguel Díaz-Canel of Cuba and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua were notable exceptions who did attend the ceremony.
Meanwhile, González Urrutia's promised return to Venezuela has not materialized so far, at least in public, leaving analysts to speculate about his strategy and the government's readiness to prevent his arrival.
The opposition leader was last seen in Dominican Republic on Thursday where he attended an act with the country's president, Luis Abinader, and several former Latin American presidents representing The Initiative for Democratic Development in Spain and the Americas (IDEA) who have promised to accompany González Urrutia on his journey to Venezuela.
González did however publish a post on X upon learning of Machado's liberation on Thursday, stating that he was "filled with pride and emotion seeing the streets full of brave men and women demanding their rights" and praising Machado and thanking "the international community that showed firm and unwavering support":
¡Los venezolanos no tienen miedo! Me llenó de orgullo y emoción ver las calles llenas de hombres y mujeres valientes, exigiendo sus derechos.
— Edmundo González (@EdmundoGU) January 10, 2025
Por todos ellos y por la comunidad internacional que mostró su apoyo firme y contundente.
María Corina fue liberada. Entendieron la… https://t.co/1iScqdWijM
Maduro officials have strongly warned against attempts to enter Venezuelan airspace, threatening detention and prosecution for any perceived violation. The government has also heightened security measures including the closure of the Colombian border, citing unverified claims of an international conspiracy to disrupt the inauguration.
The July presidential election results remain a focal point of contention. While Venezuela's electoral council declared Maduro the winner, the opposition, united under the Democratic Unitary Platform, maintains that González won by a 2-to-1 margin. González, who has been in exile since September, claims to possess the majority of the electoral records supporting his victory. The government has dismissed these as fraudulent yet has withheld detailed results of their own.
Originally published on Latin Times
