Venezuela to swear in Maduro allies in what had been nation’s last democratic institution – By Antonio Maria Delgado (Miami Herald) / January 5 2021
Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro is expected to tighten his grip on the nation’s institutions Tuesday when his loyalists are sworn into power as legislators in what was widely considered the country’s last democratic institution.
Analysts fear the new Maduro-backed National Assembly – elected in a December vote widely decried as a farce – could be used to crack down on government detractors. It also poses a new challenge for the opposition, which boycotted the election and is vowing to continue operating a separate congress.
Up in the air is whether the nearly 60 nations that rallied behind opposition leader Juan Guaidó after declaring himself the country’s rightful president in 2019 will continue to maintain their support after his term effectively expires.
The development comes as a new U.S. administration is set to take office and the opposition’s efforts to oust Maduro steadily flounder. Meanwhile, Maduro will likely use the legislature to try to push forward his agenda, skirt U.S. sanctions and project an image on the international stage of institutional legitimacy.
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