President Nicolas Maduro’s second term is officially six years. However, it will endure only as long as Venezuela’s moribund economy allows.
The 56-year-old successor to the late Hugo Chavez has withstood the most obvious threats as he takes the oath of office Thursday. He has weathered protests, impeachment drives, an assassination attempt and U.S. sanctions. He’s trampled the rules of markets and international norms and faces isolation after an election last year that more than 60 nations refuse to recognize. But as Venezuela’s economic lifelines drop away, his survival now depends on the country’s stamina.
