Caracas: Nicolas Maduro, who has been sworn in as the Venezuelan President for a third term, has pledged to ensure “peace, prosperity, equality and the new democracy” in the country after taking the oath before National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez and on the Constitution on Friday.
“I swear it on history, I swear it on my life, and I will fulfill it,” said Maduro, who then received the presidential sash and the Order of the Liberators, symbols of Presidential authority in Venezuela.
In his post-oath speech, Maduro called for a broad dialogue process in the country “to advance together toward a major constitutional reform that will further democratise Venezuela.”
The reform, he said, aims to update “the principles of the Constitution based on the new economy and society,” and “to defend the country from new technological threats.”
“Today, I will sign the decree to create a broad national commission for drafting the constitutional reform project, aiming for a process of democratisation and defining Venezuela’s new society and economy,” Maduro said.
On July 28, 2024, Maduro won the presidential election with 51.95 per cent of vote, according to figures from the National Electoral Council, Xinhua news agency reported.
Maduro was the 24th vice president of Venezuela from 2012 to 2013, the minister of foreign affairs from 2006 to 2012, and the third president of the National Assembly of Venezuela from 2005 to 2006.
Beginning his working life as a bus driver, Maduro rose to become a trade union leader before being elected to the National Assembly in 2000. He was appointed to a number of positions under President Hugo Chavez, serving as President of the National Assembly from 2005 to 2006, as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2012 and as the vice president from 2012 to 2013 under Chavez.
After Chavez’s death was announced on 5 March 2013, Maduro assumed the presidency. A special presidential election was held in 2013, where Maduro was declared the winner with 50.62 per cent of the vote as the United Socialist Party of Venezuela candidate. He has ruled Venezuela by decree since 2015 through powers granted to him by the ruling party legislature.
(IANS)
