Nicolás Maduro: The leader promising to win 'by hook or by crook'
187
Getty ImagesWhen President Nicolás Maduro took to the stage on 4 February this year to mark the anniversary of the failed 1992 coup led by his mentor, Hugo Chávez, his rhetoric was always going to be fiery.The fourth of February is the day when followers of Chavismo, the political movement created by Chávez, celebrate their late leader. Speaking to a loyal crowd of Chavistas dressed in their traditional red T-shirts, Mr Maduro urged them to show "nerves of steel" ahead of this July's presidential election.Getty ImagesHe had good reason to do so. Last October, 2.4 million Venezuelans cast their vote in a primary organised by a coalition of opposition parties. It was won by María Corina Machado with 93% of the vote.Ms Machado has since become Mr Maduro's most formidable opponent, managing what had eluded others before her - to unite the notoriously divided Venezuelan opposition behind one leader.During his 11 years in power, Mr Maduro has managed to run rings around the opposition time a...