(FILE) - Photograph showing Nicolás Maduro at a government ceremony in Caracas (Venezuela). Jan. 23, 2025. EFE/ Miguel Gutiérrez
By Carlos Seijas Meneses
Caracas, (EFE).- Nicolás Maduro has reached the first 100 days of his controversial third term as president of Venezuela, amid growing international isolation, harsh economic sanctions from the United States, and an uptick in deportations of Venezuelan migrants from US territory.
His administration faces internal pressure, economic turmoil, and heightened regional disputes.
Maduro was proclaimed the winner of the 2024 election by the National Electoral Council (CNE), an institution dominated by government loyalists.
However, nearly nine months later, detailed election results have not been disclosed, in violation of the official electoral calendar,
The Carter Center, which observed the vote, concluded that the elections” cannot be considered democratic.”
The Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), Venezuela’s main opposition coalition, accused Maduro of staging a “coup,” insisting that opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia was the legitimate victor.
Internationally, Maduro retains the support of Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, Cuba, and other allies.
Meanwhile, the US, Canada, Colombia, the United Kingdom, and European Union countries, among others, have rejected the legitimacy of his new term.
Tensions with Washington intensified after United States President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The US reinstated sanctions, ended oil licenses, and imposed tariffs of 25% on Venezuelan crude and 15% on other exports.
Trump also accused the Maduro government of sending “tens of thousands of criminals to the US, an allegation Caracas vehemently denies.
In response, Maduro declared an economic state of emergency and issued a travel warning alleging security risks for Venezuelans visiting the US.
Migration crisis and domestic pressures
Venezuela’s migration crisis, one of the largest in the world, has also seen new developments.
According to official figures, 2,559 Venezuelans, most deported from the US, have returned home since February via 13 flights, three of which were operated by US aircraft.
This repatriation effort followed negotiations during a January visit by US envoy Richard Grenell.
Maduro sharply criticized the deportation policies, describing them as a “civilizational aggression.”
In particular, the Venezuelan government condemned the expulsion of more than 200 individuals accused by US authorities of belonging to the Venezuelan-origin gang Tren de Aragua, which Washington recently designated as a terrorist organization.
Domestically, the economy continues to deteriorate.
Since Maduro’s inauguration, the bolivar has lost 33% of its value against the dollar, fueling a 50% increase in official exchange rates and pushing the parallel market even higher.
Inflation reached 36.1% in the first quarter of 2025, according to the Venezuelan Finance Observatory (OVF).
Labor unions are demanding an increase in the monthly minimum wage at least 100 dollars is needed monthly for basic food expenses.
Regional disputes and human rights concerns
Maduro’s government is also entangled in a growing territorial dispute with Guyana over the resource-rich Essequibo region, an area of about 61,600 square miles.
Venezuela plans to elect a “governor” for the disputed territory for the first time.
In response, Guyana has asked the International Court Justice (ICJ) to urgently block Venezuela from holding elections in the contested zone.
Meanwhile, human rights organizations continue to denounce political repression.
Families of political prisoners have organized protests demanding the release of detainees, better medical care, and unrestricted visitation rights.
According to the NGO Foro Penal, 890 political prisoners remain in custody, including five minors, a slight reduction compared to figures reported earlier this year. EFE
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