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Nicolás Maduro, who was elected president of Venezuela in April 2013, has divided opinion almost as much as his predecessor, Hugo Chávez.
The first half of his presidency saw the opposition regain control of parliament and launch a united effort to remove him from office. That bid failed – and his second term began in 2019 after an election marred by an opposition boycott.
Since taking power, he has been accused of undermining democracy and violating human rights in Venezuela, which is in the grip of a severe economic crisis.
Scores of anti-government protesters have been killed in clashes with the security forces since 2014. in the US, the Trump administration says Mr. Maduro is running a “devastating dictatorship”.
And yet, despite the outrage from within and beyond Venezuela, he remains a commanding figure there – and not just because of his 1.90m (6ft 3in) stature.
Many followers of the country’s leftist Bolivarian Revolution say that while he lacks the magnetism of Mr Chávez, the president is a loyal defender of his legacy.
In August 2017, Mr Maduro controversially set up a new constituent assembly with the power to rewrite the constitution, or to bypass and even dissolve the opposition-led National Assembly.
He pitched it as a way of promoting “reconciliation and peace”, but critics saw an attempt to strengthen his grip on power.
The European Union and major Latin American nations said they would not recognize the new body, and the US imposed sanctions on Mr Maduro.
He found himself further isolated after his re-election. National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó proclaimed himself interim president in January 2019, alleging widespread vote rigging and arguing that the presidency was vacant as a result.
More than 20 nations branded Mr Maduro’s presidency illegitimate, and recognized Mr Guaidó.
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Mr Maduro, a former bus driver, likes to be behind the wheel himself and is proud of his modest beginnings
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