Venezuela: Juan Guaido brands rival speaker 'accomplice of the dictatorship'

After being denied entry to the National Assembly by police, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido branded the rival claimant to the post of speaker an 'accomplice of the dictatorship' of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Luis Parra, in the absence of Juan Guaido, claimed the post of speaker of the National Assembly.

Guaido re-elected as National Assembly president

This showdown for the post of the speaker is the latest confrontation in Venezuela, a country that has seen great political instability in the past. After being denied entry, Guaido refused to admit defeat and instead decided to hold a separate parliamentary session at a different location. Guaido was recently re-elected as the president of the National Assembly.

Almost a year ago, Guaido declared himself the acting President of Venezuela and thereby directly challenging Maduro. During Guaido's proclamation, he was the President of the National Assembly. Parra who has been branded as an accomplice to the dictatorship of Maduro is a former ally of Guaido who was kicked out of the party sometime last month on accusations of graft. Parra has dismissed Guaido's claims as false and has said that Guaido was well aware that he did not have enough votes to be re-elected and therefore fabricated this story of being denied entry.

Read: Venezuela's Guaidó Faces Key Test In Leadership Vote

Read: Venezuela: Juan Guaido Re-elected President Of National Assembly

But in contrast, video and photographic evidence have surfaced of Guaido trying to enter the National assembly but being blocked by police with riot shields. Parra has said that Guaido is welcome back into the National Assembly but just as a normal 'deputy'.

On January 5, Guaido claimed that 100 of the 167 deputies in the National Assembly voted for him, while Parra claims the votes of 81 lawmakers. On Sunday, Maduro gave his backing to Parra as the new speaker.

Read: AP Exclusive: Trump Ally May Have Broken Venezuela Sanctions

Read: Scuffles At Venezuela National Assembly, Guaido Denied Entry

The National Assembly of Venezuela has effectively been sidelined since 2017. In 2017 it was held in contempt by the Supreme Court that is filled with Maduro loyalists. Every decision the National Assembly has made since then has also been annulled by the court. President Maduro also set up a Constituent Assembly that legislates in place of the National Assembly