CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a third term on Friday for the 2025-2031 term following his victory in the recent elections.
Maduro, president since 2013, was declared the winner of July’s election by both Venezuela’s electoral authority and top court.
Maduro was sworn in at the national assembly in Caracas by legislature head Jorge Rodriguez, with Maduro saying he was taking his oath in the name of sixteenth-century Indigenous leader Guaicaipuro and late President Hugo Chavez, his mentor, among others.
“May this new presidential term be a period of peace, of prosperity, of equality and the new democracy,” Maduro said, adding he would comply with the laws of the country. “I swear on history, on my life and I will fulfill (my mandate), we will fulfill.”
The government has repeatedly accused the opposition of plotting with foreign governments and agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency to commit acts of sabotage and terrorism.
The government said this week it had detained seven “mercenaries,” including a high-ranking FBI official and a U.S. military official.
A U.S. military official was also arrested in the latest operation to foil aggression against his country, and charged with planning unspecified “terrorist” acts, Maduro said.  
Maduro and his allies have cheered what they say is the country’s resilience despite the measures, and Maduro said this month that the economy grew 9% last year.
His first act of his new term will be to call for a constitutional reform, Maduro said.