Nicolas Maduro will serve a third term as Venezuela's president, despite criticism. How much support does the President have? Maria Corina Machado, leader of the opposition has condemned the inauguration as a coup and a violation of the constitution. Also on the programme: the USA's South Carolina Attorney General, Alan Wilson, tells Newshour why he supports the banning of social media platform TikTok; and Israeli settlers of the West Bank tell the BBC why they support the election of Donald Trump as the new President of the United States. Image: President Nicolas Maduro gestures on the day of his inauguration for a third six-year term in Caracas, Venezuela January 10, 2025. Credit: Leonardo Fernandez Viloria via Reuters.
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.
Hello and welcome to NewsHour from the BBC World Service.
Coming to you live from our studios in central London, I'm Julian Marshall.
Nicolas Maduro, whose nearly 12 years in office have been marked by economic collapse, political repression and mass emigration, was sworn in earlier today for for a third term as Venezuela's president.
The opposition say they won last year's election and have the evidence to prove it, while the United States and the European Union are among those who've recognized the opposition candidate, Edmondo Gonzalez, as president elect.
Russia, China, Iran and Cuba, though, are backing Mr.
Maduro and his supporters turned out as Mr.
Maduro took the oath of office during a ceremony in the capital, Caracas.
I swear by the historic, noble and brave people of Venezuela before this constitution that I will fulfill all its mandates, that I will fulfil all the obligations of the constitution and the laws of the republic, and that this new presidential term will be the period of peace, prosperity, equality and a new democracy.
I swear by history, I swear by.
My life, and I will fulfill it well.
The opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, who promised to return to Venezuela ahead of the inauguration despite the threat of arrest, has been on a tour of sympathetic Latin American countries and the United States canvassing for more support.
Most recently he's been in the Dominican Republic, and in a speech on Thursday a at the Presidential palace there he said his victory in the July presidential election should be recognized.
We are living through critical days when.
The global struggle for freedom and democracy.
Has its epicenter in Venezuela, and the.
Only way to respect our country's sovereignty is by recognizing the popular and sovereign.
Mandate expressed on July 28.
And in the past hour or so, the opposition leader, Maria Corena Machado, explained why Edmundo Gonzalez had not returned to Venezuela.
Today.