Venezuela: Maduro sworn in as president despite condemnation

Venezuela's incumbent President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in on Friday, beginning his third consecutive six-year term after he was declared the winner of last year's controversial election.

Maduro took the oath in parliament. He said he would make his next term a "period of peace."

The swearing-in comes in the midst of internal turbulence, with frequent protests against his alleged power grab including one on Thursday when opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was briefly detained.

The US, Spain, the European Parliament and others have declared Maduro's re-election illegitimate and recognized exiled defeated opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the rightful president-elect.

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rmt/msh (AFP, AP)