Miguel Díaz-Canel touched down in Caracas this Friday morning to witness Nicolás Maduro's controversial grip on power during a swearing-in ceremony scheduled for January 10. In a post on his X account, the Cuban leader expressed, "We have arrived in #Venezuela, homeland of the valiant people of Simón Bolívar, Hugo Chávez, and Nicolás Maduro. We come to stand by the legitimate President of this nation, birthplace of independence in Our America. #Cuba is here, brother Nicolás."
Curiously, Díaz-Canel arrived in Venezuela without Lis Cuesta and was welcomed at Maiquetía's "Simón Bolívar" International Airport shortly after 8:00 AM local time. Gabriela Jiménez, Venezuela's Sectoral Vice President for Science, Technology, Education, and Health, along with Dagoberto Rodríguez, Cuba's ambassador to the South American country, greeted him at the foot of the aircraft stairs.
Joining Díaz-Canel was Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, along with other high-ranking officials. The Cuban leader received military honors at the airport. This visit marks Díaz-Canel's seventh trip to Venezuela since he assumed the presidency.
International and Domestic Reactions to Maduro’s Swearing-In
In alignment with its usual rhetoric, Cuba's presidency emphasized that Díaz-Canel attended the ceremony for the "legitimately re-elected president by the Venezuelan people on July 28," a viewpoint not shared by millions of Venezuelans and much of the international community.
While Venezuela's state media highlighted that "over 2,000 representatives from governments, social movements from over a hundred countries across all continents, and international organizations traveled to the capital for Maduro's swearing-in this Friday at the Federal Legislative Palace," the reality is that the number of attending presidents is expected to be minimal.
Among the few presidents anticipated to be present is Miguel Díaz-Canel, attending the contentious event that marks Maduro's third consecutive term, allegedly keeping him in power until 2031, despite the opposition candidate Edmundo González having won the elections.
Growing Tensions and Protests
Enveloped in uncertainty, the swearing-in comes amidst protests that erupted across much of the country this Thursday. Meanwhile, Edmundo González announced his plans to arrive in Venezuela this Friday to assume the presidency as the elected leader.
On Thursday, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado emerged from hiding to participate in a rally in Caracas. However, as she was leaving the event, Machado was abducted by forces loyal to Nicolás Maduro's regime but was released shortly thereafter.
Understanding the Political Unrest in Venezuela
Why is Nicolás Maduro's swearing-in controversial?
The swearing-in of Nicolás Maduro is controversial because it marks his third consecutive term, despite allegations that opposition candidate Edmundo González won the elections. This has led to widespread skepticism about the legitimacy of his presidency both within Venezuela and internationally.
What was the international response to Maduro's new term?
While state media in Venezuela claimed a large international turnout for Maduro's inauguration, the actual presence of heads of state is expected to be minimal. Many countries and international organizations do not recognize Maduro's presidency as legitimate.
Who else besides Díaz-Canel attended the inauguration?
Despite reports of extensive international representation, Miguel Díaz-Canel is one of the few presidents expected to attend the inauguration, highlighting the limited support for Maduro's regime from other world leaders.