President Nicolás Maduro will extend his increasingly repressive rule over Venezuela until 2031 when he is sworn in on Friday, despite credible evidence that his opponent won the latest election and following protests against his plan to serve a third six-year term.

Maduro, 62, has ruled the oil-rich nation for more than a decade since the death of his mentor Hugo Chavez, maintaining a tight grip on power with the help of the police, paramilitaries and the armed forces.

People took to the streets of Venezuela's capital Thursday seeking to block President Nicolás Maduro's attempt to cling to power despite credible evidence that he lost last summer's election. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was arrested when her motorcycle convoy was intercepted by security forces as it departed an anti-government protest,