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full screen Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for the third time as Venezuela’s president on Friday. Photo: Matias Delacroix/AP/TT
Nicolás Maduro has now been sworn in for a third six-year term as Venezuela’s president – after an election he is widely accused of stealing and mounting accusations of repression by opponents.
During the installation, Maduro proclaimed a “victory for democracy”.
– Say what you want, do what you must, but this constitutional installation could not be stopped and is a great victory for democracy in Venezuela, Maduro proclaimed.
In recent days, the country has been shaken by unrest ahead of the installation. On Thursday, among others, opposition leader María Corina Machado was arrested during a protest against Maduro in the capital Caracas. She was later released.
Earlier on Friday, Venezuela announced that it was closing the border with neighboring Colombia ahead of the installation.
– We have information about an international conspiracy to disrupt the peace of Venezuelans, said Governor Freddy Bernal.
The EU, the US, the UN and several of the neighboring countries have expressed doubts about Maduro’s victory after the presidential election in July and point out that the election data has not been reported in its entirety.
Maduro has been written off many times during his turbulent time in power – but the former bus driver has stubbornly clung to the wheel.
Maduro has neither the charisma nor the large oil revenues of his late mentor and predecessor Hugo Chavez, and he is accused of relying increasingly on security forces to maintain control.
This summer, more than 2,400 people were arrested, 28 people were killed and 200 injured in a crackdown on the protests that followed the disputed election.