The president gave a defiant speech at his swearing-in, as foreign governments rejected his victory claims and unveiled new sanctions.

The post Venezuela's Maduro Begins Third Term Amid Contested Election appeared first on Reason.com. George W. Bush gave fellow former president Barack Obama a friendly belly tap at the Jan. 9 funeral of Jimmy Carter, and the internet was obsessed with the viral moment.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, whose nearly 12 years in office have been marked by a deep economic and social crisis, was sworn in for his third term on Friday, remaining in power despite a six-month-long dispute over a contested July election and international calls for him to stand aside.