On Friday, Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro officially swore in for a third term as president, sparking heated reactions both inside the country and across the globe. Opposition leaders have denounced this moment as a "coup d’état," capping off more than five months of bitter dispute over the legitimacy of last summer's contested election.
The inauguration ceremony, which took place in a much smaller and less grandiose setting within the National Assembly, was a stark contrast to past ceremonies traditionally held in the building's main hall. The small, intimate atmosphere didn’t seem to dull the celebrations, though. National Assembly head Jorge Rodríguez placed the presidential sash around Maduro, triggering a round of applause from the selected attendees. Maduro, visibly confident, stood before the crowd and declared, “We’ve achieved what we knew we would achieve,” signaling his triumph despite the controversy surrounding the election.
In his inaugural speech, Maduro made a pointed declaration about the sovereignty of Venezuela, claiming that his power wasn’t granted by any foreign entity. “The power given to me was not given by a foreign government, a foreign president or a gringo government,” he asserted. “No one in this world can impose a president in Venezuela.” Maduro’s words echoed a defiant stance against international pressures, as representatives from Nicaragua, Cuba, Russia, and China were in attendance to show solidarity with the embattled leader. Notably, Russia’s State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin arrived late on state media, as the ceremony had begun ahead of schedule.
But the path to Maduro’s swearing-in was hardly a smooth one. On July 28, Venezuela’s electoral authorities—firmly under the control of the ruling Socialist Party—proclaimed Maduro the victor of the presidential race. However, the country’s opposition immediately cried foul, publishing thousands of voting tallies which they claimed showed Edmundo González, their candidate, had won with 67% of the vote, while Maduro secured only 30%. Independent organizations such as the Carter Center and the Colombian Electoral Mission, as well as CNN’s own analysis, backed the opposition’s figures, further casting doubt on the legitimacy of Maduro’s re-election.
González, who has been living in exile since September due to a bounty on his head issued by Venezuelan authorities, had planned to return to Caracas in a last-ditch effort to challenge the inauguration. However, his return was delayed, with security concerns cited as the primary reason for his change of plans. Paraguayan President Santiago Peña revealed to CNN that González had been forced to stay in the Dominican Republic. Despite this, González remained firm in his belief that he is the rightful president of Venezuela. “I continue to work on the conditions for my entry into Venezuela,” González said, adding that he was still determined to assume the presidency “as mandated by the Constitution and ordered by the people.”
The White House, reacting swiftly to Maduro’s inauguration, condemned the event as a blatant disregard for democratic principles. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby described it as “an illegitimate inauguration,” asserting that Maduro’s leadership continues to undermine Venezuela’s democratic process. The U.S. also announced new sanctions in response, including an 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status for eligible Venezuelan nationals and new rewards for information leading to the arrest of Maduro and his closest allies, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. These rewards now stand at a staggering $25 million each— the maximum allowed under the State Department's narcotics reward program.
Other nations joined the U.S. in levying sanctions against Maduro’s government. The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on 15 individuals associated with the Venezuelan regime, including military leaders and members of the Supreme Justice Tribunal. Meanwhile, the European Union and Canada also hit Maduro’s government with restrictions, accusing officials of undermining democracy, rule of law, and human rights in Venezuela.
The G7 nations didn’t hold back either, rejecting the inauguration as lacking democratic legitimacy. “We reject Maduro’s continued and repressive grasp at power at the expense of the Venezuelan people,” read a statement from the global group. It’s clear that much of the international community, including major Western powers, sees Maduro's reign as a direct threat to the principles of democracy and human rights.
Despite the backlash, Maduro remained resolute, not even naming his opposition by name in his speech. Instead, he referred to them as "Guaidó 2.0," in a reference to Juan Guaidó, the leader who declared himself interim president in 2019 and gained recognition from 50 countries. Maduro mocked the opposition’s movement, implying that they had been exposed as part of a failed plan. "A Guaidó 2.0 talks to the people in the streets, a new Guaidó, and comes with the same baggage," he said, seemingly referring to opposition leader María Corina Machado, who had organized rallies earlier in the week.
Machado, undeterred by Maduro’s provocations, issued a defiant statement from her hiding place. She accused the government of trampling on Venezuela’s constitution, calling for increased pressure on Maduro. “The pressure will increase even more until Maduro understands that this is over,” she pledged, reiterating her commitment to challenge the regime. She also condemned Maduro's close ties with other authoritarian leaders, specifically those from Cuba and Nicaragua, calling the situation a dangerous alliance of dictatorships.
In response to the growing international condemnation, the Venezuelan government took swift and harsh actions, including the closure of its land borders and the suspension of flights to Colombia. The move came after Colombia had publicly announced that it would not recognize the results of the July election, citing concerns that the election had been neither free nor fair. Freddy Bernal, governor of Venezuela's border state of Táchira, claimed that the actions were a response to what he called an “international conspiracy” against Venezuela, though no evidence was provided to support this claim.
Protests erupted across the country as Maduro’s swearing-in approached, with the opposition organizing rallies in Caracas and other cities. Machado emerged from hiding to address one such event on Thursday, but her team later reported that she was “violently intercepted” and detained during the event. Despite claims from the Venezuelan government denying any involvement, Machado was forced to record several videos during her brief detention before being released. Regardless of the attempts to stifle dissent, Machado vowed that Venezuelans had "defeated fear" and stood up for their country’s future. “Yesterday, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans went to the streets with civility, courage, and profound love,” she said, emphasizing the strength and resilience of the Venezuelan people in the face of repression.
Maduro’s third-term inauguration is undeniably a pivotal moment in Venezuela’s ongoing political crisis. With escalating sanctions, widespread international condemnation, and an unyielding opposition, the future remains uncertain for the country. Maduro’s grip on power seems secure for now, but with growing internal unrest and global pressure, the road ahead could become even rockier. As the world watches, the question remains: how much longer will Venezuela endure under the rule of a leader many consider to be a dictator? The stakes are high, not only for Venezuela but for the broader geopolitical landscape.
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