"I swear": Venezuela's outgoing president Nicolas Maduro, backed by the military and a loyal administration, was sworn in on Friday for a third six-year term during a ceremony described as a "coup d’état" by his rival, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. The latter considers himself the elected president and has called on the military to "disobey."
The United States and the European Union, among others, condemned the inauguration, while Russia praised it.
"I swear that this new presidential term will be one of peace, prosperity, equality, and a new democracy," declared Nicolas Maduro, while taking the oath in the National Assembly, where his party holds an absolute majority.
Once the presidential sash was displaced from his left shoulder to his right side and the "Key of the Ark" necklace—symbolizing access to Simon Bolivar's sarcophagus—was hung around his neck, Maduro insisted: "Do whatever you want, but this constitutional inauguration (...) could not be stopped, and it is a great victory for Venezuelan democracy."
Nicolas Maduro even joked about the absence of Mr. Gonzalez Urrutia, who had vowed to take the oath in the president’s place. Responding to a noise that interrupted the ceremony, Maduro quipped: "Has Edmundo arrived?" before adding: "As I await his arrival, I’m a little nervous."
A significant security deployment was in place for the event.
The government closed the border with Colombia early Friday morning, because of an "international plot to disturb the peace of Venezuelans." Brazil reported that Caracas had also shut their shared border until January 13.
"Soon"
From an undisclosed neighboring country, Mr. Gonzalez Urrutia released a video denouncing a "coup d’état," claiming Maduro had "self-crowned himself dictator." The 75-year-old former ambassador urged the military to "disobey the regime's illegal orders." He stated he was unable to return to Venezuela but promised to do so "soon, very soon."
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, in a social media statement, said she had asked Mr. Gonzalez Urrutia, exiled in Spain since September, not to attempt a return, claiming that "the entire air defense system has been activated." She emphasized that "his physical integrity is essential for the ultimate defeat of the regime."
Initially scheduled for noon, Maduro's inauguration ceremony was moved up by an hour and a half and lasted two hours.
Maduro walked through a guard of honor of soldiers in ceremonial attire to enter the National Assembly, where he warmly shook the hands of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, one of the few heads of state present, alongside Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.
Once sworn in, Maduro, accompanied by hundreds of motorcyclists, left the National Assembly for Fort Tiuna military camp, where a televised loyalty ceremony was held with the armed forces and police. "We reaffirm loyalty and subordination to citizen Nicolas Maduro," declared Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, a key figure in suppressing post-election unrest.
Alfredo Romero, president of the NGO Foro Penal, which tracks political detentions, reported on Friday that there had been "49 politically motivated arrests since the beginning of the year. And it continues."
The UN Secretary-General has called for the release of all individuals "arbitrarily detained."
"No legitimacy"
The United States denounced the event as a "sham" and an "illegal presidential inauguration," announcing new sanctions against Caracas in coordination with Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. The U.S. also raised the reward for information leading to Maduro's prosecution to $25 million.
“Maduro has no democratic legitimacy,” responded European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas. Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, congratulated Maduro, calling him a faithful ally.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Maduro the winner in July with 52% of the vote but did not publish the tally sheets, citing an alleged cyberattack—a claim deemed dubious by many observers.
The opposition, which released tally sheets from its monitors, asserts that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, secured over 67% of the vote.
Post-election unrest following Maduro’s declared victory resulted in 28 deaths, 200 injuries, and 2,400 arrests.
By Javier Tovar, AFP
Comments