The Venezuelan president promises period of peace and prosperity as the opposition and US continue to reject his rule.

Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro began a third term as president on Friday, cementing his increasingly authoritarian rule.

The US on Friday ramped up pressure on Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and his regime, including raising a reward for his arrest on narcotics charges and new sanctions on officials in response to his contested election and crackdown on opposition.