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05 January 2020A rival of Juan Guaido, Luis Parra, has declared himself president of the Venezuelan parliament. The opposition denounced the move as a "parliamentary coup". Guaido and other opposition deputies were barred from joining the National Assembly.

Guaido should have been re-elected as president, but only deputies loyal to President Nicolas Maduro and those of the opposition critical of Guaido were admitted.

According to reports from Union Radio in Caracas, Congressman Luis Parra took a megaphone today and proclaimed himself President of Parliament. Parra, the broadcaster said, announced its decision together with MPs Franklyn Duarte and José Gregorio Noriega, with the support of some opposition MPs, but not those who support the outgoing president Juan Guaidó. In favor of Parra, 44 Members of Parliament's Chavista group would have voted. Nora Bracho, a deputy close to Guaidó, called the incident "a coup against Parliament", devoid of quorum and any legality.