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the Venezuelan president Nicolas Madurowhose nearly 12 years in power have been marked by a deep economic and social crisis, was sworn in on Friday for a third term, despite a six-month election debate, international calls to stay away and an increase in the US bounty offered for his capture.
Maduro, president since 2013, was declared the winner of the July elections by both in Venezuela electoral authorities and the highest court, although detailed tallies confirming his victory have never been released.
Venezuela’s opposition says tallies at the ballot box show a landslide victory for its former candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, who is recognized by several countries, including the United States, as president-elect. International election observers said the vote was not democratic.
Months after the election, we saw Gonzalez’s escape to Spain in September, his ally Maria Corina Machado hiding in Venezuela, and the detention of prominent opposition figures and protesters.
In the latest in a series of punitive steps, the outgoing Biden administration increased its reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Maduro on drug-trafficking charges to $25 million, up from $15 million.
It also issued a $25 million reward for Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and a $15 million reward for Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, as well as new sanctions against eight other officials, including the head of state oil company PDVSA Hector Obregon.
In 2020, the US indicted Maduro and others on narcotics and corruption charges, among other charges. Maduro has denied the accusations.
The US move coincided with British and European Union sanctions targeting 15 officials each, including members of the National Electoral Council and security forces, and Canadian sanctions targeting 14 current and former officials.
Maduro’s government has always rejected all sanctions, saying they are illegitimate measures that amount to “economic warfare” aimed at crippling Venezuela.
“The outgoing United States government does not know how to take revenge on us,” Maduro said during his inaugural speech, without directly mentioning sanctions.
Venezuela’s communications ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the sanctions.
Maduro and his allies have hailed what they say is the country’s resilience despite the measures, although they have historically blamed sanctions for some economic difficulties and shortages.
Gonzalez, who has been touring America this week, said he would return to Venezuela to take over as president, but did not provide details.
The government, which has accused the opposition of fomenting fascist plots against it, said Gonzalez would be arrested if he returned and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
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Opposition leaders Gonzalez and Machado are expected to speak later on Friday.
Both are under investigation by the state attorney general for alleged conspiracy, but only Gonzalez has an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Machado’s first public appearance since August at an anti-government march in Caracas on Thursday was marred by a brief detention.
Her Vente Venezuela political movement said a gun was fired and Machado was thrown from the motorcycle she was leaving the event on. They then held her down and forced her to record several videos, it is alleged.
One video shared on social media and by state officials shows her sitting on the curb recounting how she lost her wallet.
The government laughed off the incident and denied any involvement.
About 42 people have been detained for political reasons since Tuesday, the judicial non-governmental organization Foro Penal said.
Maduro was sworn in at the National Assembly in Caracas and said he was taking the oath on behalf of the sixteenth-century indigenous leader of Guaicaipur and the late President Hugo Chavez, his mentor, among others.
“Let this new presidential term be a period of peace, prosperity, equality and a new democracy,” Maduro said, adding that he would convene a commission dedicated to constitutional reform.
“This act is possible because Venezuela is peaceful, in full exercise of its national sovereignty, its people’s sovereignty, its national independence,” Maduro said.
About 2,000 guests from 125 countries attended the inauguration, according to the government.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, staunch allies of Maduro, attended, as did Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament.
Venezuela closed its borders and airspace to Colombia for 72 hours starting at 0500 local time (1000 GMT), the foreign ministry in Bogota said, adding that the border on the Colombian side would remain open.
The opposition, non-governmental organizations and international bodies such as the United Nations have for years condemned the increasing repression against opposition political parties, activists and independent media in Venezuela.
The newly elected US President Donald Trump said that the country is run by a dictator.
Meanwhile, the government has repeatedly accused the opposition of conspiring with foreign governments and agencies, including the Central Intelligence Agency, to commit acts of sabotage and terrorism.
The government said this week it had arrested seven “mercenaries,” including a high-ranking FBI official and a US military official.
Venezuela’s economy has experienced a protracted crisis marked by triple-digit inflation and an exodus of more than 7 million migrants seeking better opportunities abroad.
Many of Machado’s supporters, including retired Venezuelans who would like to see their children and grandchildren return to the country, say jobs, inflation and unreliable public services are among their top concerns.
The government, meanwhile, has used orthodox methods to try to reduce inflation, with some success. Maduro said this month that the economy grew 9 percent last year.
Around 2,000 people were arrested at the post-election protests. The government announced this week that it had released 1,515 of them.
Gonzalez, 75, said his son-in-law was abducted on Tuesday while he was taking his children to school.
– Reporting by Oliver Griffin and Julia Symmes Cobb in Bogota, Matt Spetalnick in Washington and Marianne Parrage and Gary McWilliams in Houston Writing by Oliver Griffin and Julia Symmes Cobb Editing by Daniel Wallis and Alistair Bell
