Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro is set to begin his third six-year term on January 10. Despite widespread doubts over the legitimacy of last year’s July 28 election, the ruling party-controlled Congress is set to host the swearing-in ceremony. International and domestic critics question the fairness of the electoral process.
Maduro claimed victory by more than 1 million votes in the contested election. However, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez is believed to have won by a landslide. The US-based Carter Center, which was invited by Maduro’s government to observe the presidential election, confirmed that the tally sheets published by the opposition are legitimate.
Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, told Fox News, “Maduro accepting another term on Friday is a blatant violation of the vote of the Venezuelan people. The published tally sheets support that ” digital.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claims victory in election, refuses to publish results
Taking the oath of office will allow Maduro to consolidate a mix of policies for a country that has been plagued by cronyism, inflation and food insecurity during his more than 11 years in power.
Venezuelan opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González, and President Nicolás Maduro protested against the recent election results. (Getty Images)
The opposition has called for mass protests a day before Maduro’s inauguration. However, the government’s brutal post-election crackdown, including the arrests of more than 2,000 people, has created a climate of fear that may deter protesters. Venezuela’s popular opposition leader, María Corina Machado, plans to return to the public stage after months in hiding, in a last-ditch effort to stop Maduro.
Maduro cracks down on political opponents after rigged elections: ‘Silenced the cold ones’
Edmundo González, recognized by the United States as Venezuela’s elected president, was forced to flee to Spain in September after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. He has recently come out of hiding and is currently on an international tour to drum up support for the Venezuelan opposition party. As part of this effort, Gonzalez met with President Biden at the White House on Monday, describing their conversation as “long, productive and cordial.” He is also in touch with newly elected President Trump.
Their meetings came just days after Venezuelan authorities announced a $100,000 reward for information about Gonzalez’s whereabouts, doubling down on their efforts to arrest the opposition leader.
Demonstrators clash with police during a protest against President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on July 29, 2024, a day after the Venezuelan election. (Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images)
Venezuelan opposition leader who claimed victory over Maduro meets Biden
With Maduro’s reign coinciding with the second Trump administration, questions have arisen as to how the president-elect will approach Maduro. During his first term, Trump was a fierce critic of Maduro and the two leaders exchanged frequent insults. However, Maduro is now extending an olive branch toward Trump, congratulating him on his re-election and inviting him to foster a relationship based on “respect, common sense dialogue and understanding.”
Isaias Medina III, a former Venezuelan diplomat on the UN Security Council and Harvard Fellow, warned, “The only conversation between Trump and Maduro should be the liberation of Venezuela.”
He told Fox News Digital that, “Maduro’s illegal immigration terrorist proxy army, Tren de Aragua, is a clear example of the regime’s strategy of promoting crime and anarchy by using human trafficking, drug trafficking and organized violence. , They endanger US security and regional security.” Stability. Strong sanctions, unwavering resolve, and decisive action are necessary for the United States and its allies to eliminate the threat of this criminal regime. “Independence must remain the non-negotiable goal for Venezuela.”
President Nicolas Maduro leads celebrations of the 22nd anniversary of Hugo Chavez’s return to power after a failed coup attempt in Caracas, Venezuela, on April 13, 2024. (Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/file photo)
Some analysts are skeptical that Trump will support the same “maximum pressure” strategy that he pursued during his first term, especially given his interest in curbing migration. An estimated 7.7 million Venezuelans have fled the crisis-hit country since 2014.
“The incoming Trump administration will chart a new course on Venezuela to reflect lessons learned from the previous ‘maximum pressure policy.’ As a congressman who co-sponsored the Bolivar Act to support the ‘brave democratic protest’ against Senator Marco Rubio, a candidate for Secretary of State, Marczak told Fox News Digital reported, “R-Fla., was one of the first to publicly call for Edmundo Gonzalez to be recognized as president-elect.”
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Over the past few months, the Maduro regime has reportedly detained a number of foreigners, including some US citizens, to use as bargaining chips with the incoming Trump administration. The charges include allegations of espionage or terrorism.
