(Reuters) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose nearly 12 years in office have been marked by a deep economic and social crisis, was sworn in for a third term on Friday, despite six months of wrangling. in the election, international calls for him to stand down, and an increase in the US reward offered for his capture.

Maduro, president since 2013, was declared the winner of the July election by both Venezuela’s electoral authority and the high court, although detailed tallies confirming his victory have not yet been published.

Venezuela’s opposition says ballot box-level tallies show a landslide victory for former candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who has been recognized as president-elect in several countries, including the United States. International election observers said the vote was undemocratic.

The months since the election have seen Gonzalez flee to Spain in September, his ally Maria Corina Machado in hiding in Venezuela, and the detentions of high-profile opposition figures and protesters.

Gonzalez is on a whistle-stop tour of the Americas this week and has promised to return to Venezuela.

But Machado, appearing in a video posted on social media on Friday, said the moment was not right for his return.

“Edmundo will come to Venezuela to be sworn in as president of the Venezuelan constitution at the right time,” Machado said. “Now, it is not possible for Edmundo to enter Venezuela. I ask him not to do it because his integrity is fundamental for the final defeat of the regime and the transition to democracy, which is very close.”

“Maduro is consolidating the coup and the violation of our constitution,” Machado added, calling for street protests. “It’s time to do what it takes to restore it.”

The government, which has accused the opposition of pushing fascist plots against it, said Gonzalez would be arrested if he returned and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to his capture.

“Soon, soon, whatever they do, we will be able to enter Venezuela and end this tragedy,” Gonzalez said in his own statement from the Dominican Republic, asking the military to ignore the “illegal orders” from Maduro and stop any repression.

In the latest in a series of punitive measures, the outgoing Biden administration increased its reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Maduro on drug-trafficking charges to $25 million, from in the past $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 the state oil company PDVSA Hector Obregon.

The US indicted Maduro and others on charges of narcotics and corruption, among others, in 2020. Maduro has denied the accusations.

The US move coincided with sanctions by Britain and the European Union, each targeting 15 officials including members of the National Electoral Council and security forces, and sanctions by Canada targeting 14 current and former officials.

Maduro’s government has consistently rejected all sanctions, saying they are illegitimate measures amounting to an “economic war” designed to defeat Venezuela.

“The outgoing government of the United States does not know how to take revenge on us,” Maduro said during his inauguration speech, without directly referring to the sanctions.

The Venezuelan communications ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the sanctions, while US officials declined to comment on possible additional sanctions, including on the oil industry.

Maduro and his allies have cheered what they say is the country’s stability despite the measures, though they have historically blamed some of the economic difficulties and shortcomings on sanctions.

Maduro’s inauguration is illegitimate, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, and the US does not recognize him as president.

“The Venezuelan people and the world know the truth – Maduro clearly lost the 2024 presidential election and has no right to claim the presidency,” said Blinken.

Later on Friday, Padrino led members of the armed forces in a separate ceremony, where they swore total loyalty to Maduro.

DETAILS OF DETENTION

Both Gonzalez and Machado are being investigated by the attorney general’s office for the alleged conspiracy, but only Gonzalez has a public 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.

Machado said in his Friday video that he was stopped by police after he left the march on Thursday, pulled over the motorcycle on which he was a passenger and put another one on board. He said that he was later told to film several videos and that he would be released.

One of the motorcyclists accompanying him was shot and arrested, he said.

A video shared on social media and by government officials shows him sitting on the curb and recounting the loss of his wallet.

The government downplayed the incident and denied any involvement, saying it was an attempt by the opposition to drum up sympathy for Machado.

About 42 people have been detained for political reasons since Tuesday, according to the judicial NGO Foro Penal.

Maduro was sworn in at the national assembly in Caracas and said he swore in the name of sixteenth-century Indigenous leader Guaicaipuro and the late President Hugo Chavez, his mentor, among others.

“May 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 action is possible because Venezuela is peaceful, in full use of national sovereignty, of popular sovereignty, of national independence,” Maduro said.

About 2,000 invitees 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, speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament. Bolivian President Luis Arce congratulated Maduro on social media.

ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS

Venezuela has closed its borders and airspace with Colombia for 72 hours starting at 0500 local time (1000 GMT), the foreign ministry in Bogota said in a statement, adding that the border on the Colombian side will remain closed. tomorrow.

The opposition, non-governmental organizations and international bodies such as the United Nations have for years criticized the increasing repression of opposition political parties, activists and independent media in Venezuela.

US President-elect Donald Trump said the country is run by a dictator.

The Venezuelan government has repeatedly accused the opposition of plotting with foreign governments and agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency to commit acts of sabotage and terrorism.

The government said this week it had detained seven “mercenaries,” including a high-ranking FBI official and a US military officer.

In recent years, Venezuela’s economy has experienced a prolonged crisis marked by triple-digit inflation and the exodus of more than 7 million migrants seeking better opportunities abroad. .

Many of Machado’s supporters, among them retired Venezuelans who want to see their children and grandchildren return to the country, say jobs, inflation and unreliable public services are among their top concerns. worried.

The government, on the other hand, is using orthodox methods to try to lower inflation, with some success. Maduro said this month that the economy grew 9% last year.