A series of Venezuelan lawmakers imitated Mr. Maduro’s ‘victory’ gesture

On January 5, the Venezuelan National Assembly held a swearing-in ceremony for interim President Delcy Rodriguez and continued to elect Mr. Jorge Rodríguez, Ms. Delcy’s brother, as head of this legislative body.

Images of the event on Venezuelan television showed Mr. Jorge repeatedly raising two fingers to form a V shape, as when nominated by congressman Nicolas Maduro Guerra, son of President Nicolas Maduro. Mr. Jorge’s left hand also pointed to the V symbol at the end of his speech to parliament. Many parliamentarians below also acted similarly.

This was also the gesture President Maduro made when he was escorted by US law enforcement forces in New York after the US special operations raid on Caracas to arrest him. This gesture later spread widely on social networks.

Experts on Chavismo, the political movement based on Hugo Chavez’s leftist ideology, said the pointing symbol and the letter V mean “Nosotros venceremos” (Together we will win). This slogan has long been used by leftist revolutionary movements in Latin America to express belief in victory over oppression.

Supporters described Mr. Maduro’s gesture as a “powerful symbol of dignity and courage” and a “sign of peace and victory.”

“It is a sign of hope, showing that in the most complicated circumstances, the President of Venezuela still sends the message to the people: be strong, calm, alert and maintain a spirit of steel,” a Venezuelan reporter commented.

Meanwhile, the opposition rejected, saying these gestures were only “formal”.

Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were arrested during a US raid in Caracas early on the morning of January 3, then taken to New York. The US campaign has faced strong criticism from the United Nations and many countries around the world. Mr. Maduro and Ms. Flores appeared in federal court in New York on January 5 to hear the indictment and both denied the charges brought by the US prosecutor.

The hearing ended after about 30 minutes, and Mr. Maduro and his wife were led outside to return to detention at Brooklyn prison. The presiding judge said the next hearing will take place on March 17.