Crisis in Venezuela LIVE: Nicolás Maduro swore in before the regime’s Assembly and extends his dictatorial era

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) of Venezuela reaffirmed this Friday its loyalty to Nicolas Madurowho was invested as president of the Caribbean nation by the Parliament, controlled by Chavismo, despite the fact that the majority opposition claims that Edmundo González Urrutia was the winner of the July elections.

“We attend this act of recognition, reaffirmation of loyalty and oath that exalts the fundamental bases on which the military organization rests, such as discipline, obedience and subordination.“said the head of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, in a televised event.

Padrino López stated that Venezuela faces a coalition of “foreign powers”, led by the United States, which is why, he insisted, the FANB must prevent external “powers” ​​from “imposing again neocolonial and surrenderist governments that violate the sacred interests of the people.” .

The Liberal Network of Latin America expressed its deep concern about the political crisis that Venezuela is going through at this crucial moment for its democracy.

In a statement, the organization maintained that “Edmundo González Urrutia has been legitimately elected as President of Venezuela, a fact supported by verifiable minutes and endorsed by citizens and sectors of the international community. However, we face with alarm the undemocratic maneuvers that attempt to ignore the popular will and perpetuate a regime that has plunged the country into repression and authoritarianism.”

“We urgently call on world governments, international organizations and political leaders not to remain indifferent. It is imperative to condemn any action that obstructs the swearing-in of Edmundo González Urrutia and support his assumption as President, recognizing that this step is fundamental to restore democratic institutions in Venezuela,” the statement highlighted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin “congratulated” his Venezuelan counterpart and ally, Nicolás Maduro, on Friday for his inauguration for a third term after his re-election in July 2024, denounced by the opposition, the United States and the European Union.

The president of the Duma “Viacheslav Volodin conveyed to Nicolás Maduro the congratulations of Russian President Vladimir Putin” during the investiture ceremony in Caracas, the press service of the Lower House of the Russian Parliament indicated in a statement.

The Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, follows “with great concern” the situation in Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for a third term amid allegations of fraud, and asked for the release of all people arbitrarily detained.

Guterres “strongly condemns the detention of a large number of people, including opposition leaders, journalists and human rights defenders, since the July 28 elections. It calls for their rights to be respected and for all arbitrarily detained people to be released,” declared its spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, noting that a “peaceful solution to the crisis requires total respect for human rights.”

These sanctions are directed at 14 current and former senior officials of the Venezuelan government who have participated in activities that have directly or indirectly supported human rights violations in Venezuela. These include the ongoing violations and repression of protests following the illegitimate election of Nicolás Maduro to the presidency of Venezuela in July 2024. These widespread human rights violations were part of a selective effort by the Maduro regime to silence and intimidate to those who demanded transparency and free and fair elections in Venezuela.

The United Kingdom today sanctioned 15 new people related to the questioned regime of Nicolás Maduro, while denouncing his illegitimate claim to the presidency.

Sanctions were imposed on judges, including the president of Venezuela’s highest court, as well as members of the security forces and military responsible for undermining democracy, the rule of law and human rights violations.

The Foreign Minister described the Maduro regime as “fraudulent” in the “inauguration” of the Venezuelan leader in Caracas

The European Union responded this Friday to the inauguration of Nicolás Maduro by ensuring that it does not have democratic legitimacy and that a majority of Venezuelans voted for the opposition candidate Edmundo González on July 28.

“Millions of Venezuelans voted for democratic change, supporting Edmundo González by a significant majority, according to copies of the electoral records available to the public.“, indicated a statement by the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, on behalf of the 27.

The Member States thus insist that the authorities have refused to publish the official records of the polling stations, so the electoral results remain unverified and “cannot be recognized as representative of the will of the people.”

“Nicolás Maduro therefore lacks the legitimacy of a democratically elected president,” the bloc summarized in its joint statement.

The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, published a message on his Twitter account after the illegitimate inauguration of Nicolás Maduro: “The Venezuelan people and the world know that Nicolás Maduro clearly lost the 2024 presidential elections and has no right to claim the presidency today. “We are willing to support the return to democracy in Venezuela.”