Third inauguration of Nicolás Maduro
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| Date | 10 January 2025 |
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| Time | 11:00pm VST (UTC-4) |
| Venue | Palacio Federal Legislativo |
| Location | Caracas, Venezuela |
| Also known as | 2025 Presidential inauguration of Nicolás Maduro |
| Participants | Nicolás Maduro |
The third presidential inauguration of Nicolás Maduro as President of Venezuela took place on 10 January 2025. The ceremony involves the swearing-in of the president for a period of six years (2025–2031). The event took place amid domestic and international criticism of the 2024 election process, of which Maduro was declared the winner by the government-controlled Venezuela's electoral authority and top court, which have not released detailed tallies confirming his victory.[1][2][3][4] Only two chiefs of state, those of Cuba's and Nicaragua's authoritarian governments, attended the ceremony.[2][5]
Election
[edit]The elections for the Venezuelan presidential term 2025-2031 were held on July 28, 2024, following the signing of the Barbados Agreement, which sought to provide certain guarantees for a democratic electoral process.[6] International monitors called the election neither free nor fair,[7] and reported that the incumbent Maduro administration repressed the political opposition before, during,[8][9] and after the election.[4]
Widely viewed as having won the election, the opposition candidate Edmundo González fled to asylum in Spain amid repression of dissent and a national and international political crisis that resulted when Venezuelan electoral authorities announced—without presenting any evidence—that Nicolás Maduro had won.[2][4]
Inauguration
[edit]The venue for the president's swearing-in was the Federal Legislative Palace in Caracas. Although the ceremony was scheduled for 12 pm, Maduro arrived at 10:30 to begin the swearing-in 90 minutes early.[10] Authorities implemented closures of Venezuela's land border and airspace with Colombia prior to the inauguration, citing security considerations.[11]
Among the guests was MEP Diana Șoșoacă.[12]
Reactions
[edit]The day of the inauguration, the United States, European Union (E.U.), United Kingdom and Canada placed new sanctions on Venezuelan individuals.[13] The U.S. also increased the reward for Maduro's arrest to $25 million. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the U.S. "does not recognize Nicolas Maduro as the president of Venezuela" and a U.S. Treasury Under Secretary, Bradley Smith, added that the U.S. stood with its "likeminded partners" in "solidarity with the people's vote for new leadership and rejects Maduro's fraudulent claim of victory".[13] Maduro replied that the "outgoing government of the United States doesn't know how to take revenge on us".[13]
The E.U., in coordination with the U.K., applied new sanctions to 15 new individuals, including the Supreme Tribunal of Justice head and security and military officials held responsible by the E.U. and the U.K. for undermining democracy.[2][13][14][15][16]
Canada applied new sanctions to 14 additional senior Venezuelan officials, stating that they had "engaged in activities that have directly or indirectly supported human rights violations in Venezuela".[13][17]
References
[edit]- ^ "Venezuela's Maduro sworn in for third term as opposition leader vows to return". www.reuters.com. Reuters. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ a b c d Phillips, Tom (10 January 2025). "Venezuela's Maduro sworn in amid outrage over alleged fraudulent election". The Guardian.
- ^ Phillips, Tom (22 August 2024). "Pressure grows on Maduro after top court endorses Venezuela election win". The Guardian.
- ^ a b c Gibbs, Stephen (8 September 2024). "Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González flees to Spain". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 8 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ Charner, Flora (11 January 2025). "Analysis: Venezuela's Maduro starts another disputed term in office more isolated than ever". CNN.
- ^ "Joint Statement on Venezuela Negotiations". United States Department of State. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- ^ Glatsky, Genevieve (31 July 2024). "Venezuela's Election Was Deeply Flawed. Here's How". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
It had already been clear for months that Venezuela's presidential election on Sunday, would not be free or fair, as the government jailed opposition leaders or disqualified them from running for office, and prevented millions of Venezuelans abroad from voting.
- ^ Otis, John; Kahn, Carrie (26 July 2024). "What to know about Venezuela's election, as Maduro faces stiff opposition". NPR. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
- ^ "Maduro regime doubles down on censorship and repression in lead-up to Venezuelan election". International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. 24 July 2024. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
- ^ "Lo último: Maduro asume un tercer mandato en Venezuela; ¿Qué hará González?". Los Angeles Times. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ Camacho, Pedro (10 January 2025). "Venezuela Closes Border with Colombia Citing 'International Conspiracy' As Maduro Claims a Third Term In Contested Inauguration". www.latintimes.com. Latin Times. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ Grigorescu, Denis (12 January 2025). "Diana Șoșoacă, prezentă la învestitura lui Nicolas Maduro, președintele-dictator al Venezuelei. Mii de oameni care l-au contestat au fost arestați". Adevărul (in Romanian). Retrieved 13 January 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Spetalnick, Matt; Parraga, Marianna (10 January 2025). "US and allies slap sanctions on Venezuela officials as Maduro inaugurated". Reuters. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
- ^ "Venezuela: Council renews restrictive measures and lists a further 15 individuals in view of the situation in the country" (Press release). Council of the European Union. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
- ^ "UK announces new sanctions targeting Nicolás Maduro's regime in Venezuela" (Press release). Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the UK Government. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
- ^ "UK imposes sanctions on Venezuelan officials as Maduro sworn in as president". Reuters. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
- ^ "Backgrounder:Canada imposes sanctions against Venezuelan officials involved in human rights violations" (Press release). Government of Canada. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2025.