Ione Wells

As expected, he is going to be inaugurated despite the fact that there have been huge anti-government protests in the last 24 hours, despite the fact that he's not been recognised as the president-elect by a lot of countries overseas, whether that be the US, EU, UK, but also even neighbouring countries like Brazil and Colombia, whose left-wing presidents do have historical links with countries

The sort of political movement that Maduro inherited from his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, even they have said that they don't recognise the result of the election. But despite this and despite the pressure that's been applied to his government by the international stage in terms of things like sanctions as well, he is still set to be inaugurated soon. later today.

The sort of political movement that Maduro inherited from his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, even they have said that they don't recognise the result of the election. But despite this and despite the pressure that's been applied to his government by the international stage in terms of things like sanctions as well, he is still set to be inaugurated soon. later today.

Now, it's a very tightly controlled event, as I say. Foreign media aren't allowed in. There is going to be some press there, but I think essentially his speech will be televised in the country and it is expected to be highly, highly militarised around the city today. There has been quite a significant crackdown again on any kind of anti-government protest.

Now, it's a very tightly controlled event, as I say. Foreign media aren't allowed in. There is going to be some press there, but I think essentially his speech will be televised in the country and it is expected to be highly, highly militarised around the city today. There has been quite a significant crackdown again on any kind of anti-government protest.

There were quite big crowds that turned up yesterday in Caracas to demonstrate ahead of the inauguration, but there was a very, very high armed military and police presence on the streets too.

There were quite big crowds that turned up yesterday in Caracas to demonstrate ahead of the inauguration, but there was a very, very high armed military and police presence on the streets too.

That's right. It was a really big moment yesterday because, as you say, she hadn't really been seen in public since August. She had done some interviews. She had still been posting, for example.

That's right. It was a really big moment yesterday because, as you say, she hadn't really been seen in public since August. She had done some interviews. She had still been posting, for example.

She had called people to go out into the streets yesterday to protest, but she hadn't been seen because she's been in hiding until yesterday, where she sort of stood in quite a sort of defiant image on top of. what was essentially the top of a vehicle, addressing crowds, aggressing her supporters, lots of people out taking photographs with her, supporting the opposition cause.

She had called people to go out into the streets yesterday to protest, but she hadn't been seen because she's been in hiding until yesterday, where she sort of stood in quite a sort of defiant image on top of. what was essentially the top of a vehicle, addressing crowds, aggressing her supporters, lots of people out taking photographs with her, supporting the opposition cause.

Now, her team say that when she was leaving that rally, she was, in their words, violently intercepted in the east of the city as part of her motorcycle convoy. They say that she was then

Now, her team say that when she was leaving that rally, she was, in their words, violently intercepted in the east of the city as part of her motorcycle convoy. They say that she was then

held for a period of time forced to record some videos but was eventually released this is something that the Venezuelan government have denied and they've called this a media distraction but it is quite significant that she decided to come out of hiding given that there is an arrest warrant against her

held for a period of time forced to record some videos but was eventually released this is something that the Venezuelan government have denied and they've called this a media distraction but it is quite significant that she decided to come out of hiding given that there is an arrest warrant against her

Edmundo Gonzalez, who was the opposition candidate in the election, has said that he would return to Venezuela to, in his words, claim victory in sort of tying into this inauguration. However, he hasn't really outlined how and when. And I think that would be a significant risk for him, given there's also an arrest warrant for him and authorities have made it very clear he would be detained.

Edmundo Gonzalez, who was the opposition candidate in the election, has said that he would return to Venezuela to, in his words, claim victory in sort of tying into this inauguration. However, he hasn't really outlined how and when. And I think that would be a significant risk for him, given there's also an arrest warrant for him and authorities have made it very clear he would be detained.