Nicolás Maduro Begins Disputed Third Term as Venezuela Faces Growing Isolation

Following allegations of electoral fraud and international condemnation, Maduro tightens his grip on power while opposition leaders face repression.

Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term as Venezuela's president after a contested election widely criticized for fraud and lack of transparency.
Opposition candidate Edmundo González, who claims to have won 67% of the vote based on independent tallies, remains in exile after threats from the Maduro regime.
International observers, including the United States and several Latin American nations, have recognized González as the rightful president-elect, imposing sanctions on Maduro's government.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado, briefly detained during protests, continues to call Maduro's presidency a 'coup d’état' but faces severe repression and uncertain prospects for her movement.
Maduro's inauguration highlights Venezuela's deepening economic crisis, mass migration, and international isolation, with only Cuba and Nicaragua attending the ceremony.