Venezuela continues its struggle over the country’s leadership. On Tuesday, Juan Guaido was sworn in as the country’s interim president by a group of lawmakers in Venezuela’s National Assembly. Guaido had been declared interim president last year after the country’s opposition declared president Nicolas Maduro’s rule illegitimate, citing the constitution of Venezuela. Guaido has been been recognized by more than 50 countries, the U.S. and most Latin American and European countries among them.
The swearing-in ceremony took place after lawmakers forced their way into Venezuela’s parliament through rows of riot police who had been deployed by the Maduro government.
Despite the opposition’s success in entering the parliament and opening the first legislative session of the new year, the attempt of Maduro and his regime to block the opposition may be a sign that the regime is hunkering down, hoping to survive the popular uprising in the face of a deepening humanitarian crisis. Maduro enjoys the support of China, Cuba and Russia and has denounced the opposition as US puppets.