Pope expresses concern after Maduro’s election victory

Despite international protests and serious doubts about his election victory, Venezuela’s socialist ruler has been sworn in for another six years. The opposition calls on the army to rebel. Two other dictators said in the official gallery in Caracas, according to local media reports: Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega and Cuba’s Miguel Diaz-Canel. Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and Brazil sent senior representatives to the swearing-in of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. There were also diplomats mostly from Africa and the Caribbean. The image of Ortega and Diaz-Canel, who like Maduro do not believe in free, transparent elections, was symbolic of the bizarre ceremony in Venezuela.

“I swear before the historic, noble and brave people of Venezuela and before this Constitution that I will carry out all their orders. “I open the new period of peace, prosperity and new democracy,” said Maduro with all kinds of pathos in his voice. The socialist head of state was sworn in as president for another six years on Friday (local time), despite his presumed defeat in the election at the end of July.

Gonzalez’s mission failed

His opponent, the likely election winner Edmundo Gonzalez, was unable to enter the country from exile and also be sworn in. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado resigned and said there were currently not the right conditions for it. Gonzalez instead called on the army to rebel against Maduro. Meanwhile, the soon-to-be-outgoing US administration of President Joe Biden is increasing the reward for Maduro’s capture to $25 million. Maduro, in turn, had previously offered a bounty of $100,000 to Gonzalez.

The opposition candidate went on an international trip before the swearing-in to secure the backing of numerous governments in North and Latin America. But the political mission ended at the Venezuelan border and Maduro mobilized his army and the feared paramilitary colectivos. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello also made a telling threat that anyone who takes part in protests will regret it for the rest of their lives. The opposition, meanwhile, insisted that Maduro was no longer the legitimate commander of the military after his election defeat. The soldiers therefore no longer have to follow his instructions.

Adveniat: “Incalculable powder keg”

“Venezuela is the incalculable powder keg of the entire region,” says Thomas Wieland, an expert at the church-based Latin America relief organization Adveniat, commenting on the situation. What happens in the crisis country in the next few days and weeks will have far-reaching effects. “It’s about the stability of the entire region, it’s about all the big issues: economy, migration and peace,” said Wieland.

Maduro is largely isolated internationally

Despite great military efforts, Maduro managed to get his swearing in. At the same time, he has increased his international isolation. Even Chile’s left-leaning President Gabriel Boric now calls Venezuela a dictatorship and recalled his ambassador in protest against election fraud.

Francis speaks of a serious political crisis

Pope Francis also spoke out before the controversial swearing-in and called for human rights to be respected: “I am also thinking of Venezuela and the serious political crisis in which it finds itself,” said the Argentine. The crisis could only be overcome through a sincere adherence to the values ​​of truth, justice, freedom and through negotiations in the service of the common good. Since Friday, however, Venezuela has been further away from this than ever.