Nicolás Maduro Set to Rule Venezuela Until 2031

Nicolás Maduro is set to extend his presidency over Venezuela until 2031 after being sworn in for a third six-year term on Friday. His continued rule follows widespread allegations of electoral fraud, violent crackdowns on dissent, and international condemnation.

Maduro was declared the winner of the July 28 presidential election by authorities loyal to his United Socialist Party of Venezuela. However, the opposition, led by candidate **Edmundo González**, presented tally sheets from 80% of electronic voting machines showing González had received double the votes of Maduro.

Despite calls for transparency, electoral authorities and the government have not released detailed vote counts. Venezuela’s high court, filled with Maduro allies, reaffirmed his victory without offering substantial evidence. Independent observers, including the U.S.-based Carter Center, validated the opposition’s tallies as legitimate.

The disputed election has sparked nationwide protests and international outcry. Security forces arrested over 2,000 demonstrators, with reports of torture and over 20 deaths during the unrest. Prominent opposition leader **María Corina Machado** was briefly detained by security forces after addressing a rally in Caracas. Machado, who has been barred from running for office, was coerced into recording videos while in custody, her aides confirmed.

Maduro’s government denies these allegations, claiming opposition figures are spreading “fake news” to provoke an international crisis.

Leaders from the Americas and Europe have condemned Maduro’s actions. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump voiced his support for opposition leaders Machado and González, calling them “freedom fighters” and urging their safety. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a Maduro ally, declined to attend the inauguration, citing recent detentions of opposition members and human rights advocates.

Opposition candidate Edmundo González, currently in exile in Spain, has vowed to return to Venezuela despite government threats of arrest. His family has faced intimidation, with his son-in-law recently kidnapped in Caracas.

Maduro’s last inauguration in 2019 was marked by a widely discredited election and international isolation. The latest events further solidify his reputation as a repressive leader, ruling amidst allegations of fraud and widespread human rights abuses.

It remains uncertain how Venezuela’s opposition and the international community will respond to Maduro’s extended rule, as the country faces mounting political, economic, and humanitarian crises.