Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro sworn in for third presidential term amid criticism
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Venezuela's Maduro Takes New Oath, US Raises Bounty for Him to $25M
Above: Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro looks at his wife Cilia Flores as they leave the Capitolio — home of the National Assembly — after taking the oath during the presidential inauguration in Caracas on Jan. 10, 2025. Image copyright: Juan Barreto/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term as president of Venezuela on Friday in a half-hour ceremony at the National Assembly in Caracas that took place two hours earlier than scheduled.
Cuba's Miguel Díaz-Canel and Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega were the only heads of state who attended the inauguration despite 125 countries — including neighboring Brazil and Colombia, and global powers China and Russia — sending delegations.
After the swearing-in ceremony, the Biden administration announced an increase in its reward offers for information leading to the arrest of Maduro and his interior minister, Diosdado Cabello— from $15M to $25M — which stem from criminal trafficking indictments imposed by the first Trump administration in March 2020.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
That Maduro has been sworn in despite attempts from the US and its puppets in Latin America to destabilize Venezuela is a remarkable victory for the people. Imperialist forces have sought to turn the country's presidential election into a global affair — and they've lost.
Pro-establishment narrative
This was no inauguration, but rather a televised coup that marks the biggest blow to date against the country's 1999 constitution — even worse than his swearing-in six years ago because now Venezuela has seen the most massive election fraud in the Americas in recent times. Edmundo González is the legitimate president-elect.