Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, due to be sworn in Friday for a third six-year term after elections he is widely accused of stealing, has been written off many times during a turbulent decade in power.

But the former bus driver has stubbornly clung to the wheel.

With neither the charisma nor the flush oil revenues of his late revolutionary mentor Hugo Chavez, Maduro is accused of increasingly relying on the security forces to retain power.

More than 2,400 people were arrested, 28 killed and about 200 injured in a crackdown on the protests that followed his disputed victory claim in July elections.

The violence echoed previous deadly crackdowns on the opposition in 2014, 2017 and 2019.

His third term could see him remain in power until 2031, a total of 18 years and four more than Chavez.

But he appears more isolated than ever on the international stage.

Only a handful of countries -- including perennial allies Russia and Cuba -- have recognized his claim to........

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