Juan Guaido during his swearing in to the National Assembly in Caracas, January 7, 2020. - Andrea Hernandez Briceño / AP / SIP

The Venezuelan opposition has just scored a point against President Nicolas Maduro. Juan Guaido managed to take the oath as President of Parliament on Tuesday by forcing his way to the perch. It is however only a symbolic victory, since Nicolas Maduro continues to exercise power. Above all, in its showdown with the opposition, the Chavist power deprived the National Assembly of all its legislative powers three years ago. Its decisions are systematically quashed by the Supreme Court.

Quedó claro that there is a solo Poder Legislativo in Venezuela and that there is a Presidente encargado. A weight of the violence of a vile dictadura, in El Parlamento sintió una fuerza that avanza unida y hace valer la lucha de un país por recuperar su dignidad. # ANLegítimaConVzla pic.twitter.com/KMDbvF1XBN

- Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) January 8, 2020

Violence against diplomats

While he was elected on Sunday, while remaining confined by the police outside the official building, Juan Guaido had to wait until Tuesday to access his chair. The particularly stormy day was marked by acts of violence around the Houses of Parliament against diplomats and journalists. European and Japanese diplomats who planned to attend the session were targeted by "colectivos", groups loyal to Chavista power whom the opposition describes as violent "paramilitaries", and some "severely hit", said a diplomatic source on condition of anonymity.

Juan Guaido trying to enter the grounds of the National Assembly, January 7, 2020. - Roman Camacho / SOPA Images / Sipa

In the confusion Juan Guaido succeeded in forcing the passage blocked by a hedge of law enforcement officers helmeted in front of the Parliament and in making his way to the perch… which occupied until that time Luis Parra, an opposition rival who also claims the presidency of the Assembly. This act is particularly important for Juan Guaido. He takes advantage of his status as President of Parliament to continue to claim that of interim president, recognized by almost 60 countries, and lead his "fight" against Nicolas Maduro.

Relaunch the demonstrations

A few hours after taking his oath, he called on his compatriots to demonstrate against Nicolas Maduro on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, in the hope of reviving the popular demonstrations that drained hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in early 2019, before unraveling at over the months. Juan Guaido accuses the heir of the late Hugo Chavez (1999-2013) of being a “usurper” since the “fraudulent” election of 2018 which allowed him to stay in power. Since then, he has been trying to oust him, with the support of the Trump administration. But without success, until now. Nicolas Maduro still has the upper hand on the army and enjoys the support of Russia, China and Cuba.

The US will continue to support President @JGuaido and the people of #Venezuela and rally all other freedom-loving nations across the globe to do the same. We do this because the Western Hemisphere should be a hemisphere of freedom. pic.twitter.com/0As2QRXrsi

- Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 7, 2020

Unsurprisingly, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo immediately "congratulated" Juan Guaido on his "legitimate" re-election. And the State Department said that if arrested, Washington would take measures "that go much further" than those taken so far against the Chavist government, including economic sanctions. These words made Nicolas Maduro react, who called the head of American diplomacy "a clown missed" and accused him of "putting on a show, clowning".

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  • Nicolas Maduro
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