Venezuela’s opposition-led Congress has accused President Nicolas Maduro of “usurping presidency,” vowing to take up a fight against the socialist leader as he prepares to assume office for a second term.

The Venezuelan National Assembly on Saturday denounced Maduro’s presidency as illegitimate and called on the country’s military to support efforts to “restore democracy.”

“We reaffirm the illegitimacy of Nicolas Maduro,” said Juan Guaido, the assembly’s new president, after being sworn in at the start of a new legislative session. “As of January 10, he will be usurping the presidency; and consequently, this National Assembly is the only legitimate representative of the people.”

A general view of Venezuela’s National Assembly during its inauguration ceremony, in Caracas, on January 5, 2019 (photo by AFP)

Guaido also said the Venezuelan Congress would confront Maduro’s bid for assuming the post and that the legislative body would “generate conditions for a government of transition and to call free elections.”

Venezuela’s socialist party has announced that Maduro will be sworn in before the Supreme Court for a second six-year term on Thursday.

Maduro was re-elected in May after an early election called by the ruling Constituent Assembly, which faced accusations of irregularities as well as an opposition boycott.

Several of Venezuela’s Latin American neighbors as well as the European Union (EU) joined voices with Maduro’s opponents at the time and said they would not recognize the results of the election.

On Friday, foreign ministers from 14 Latin American countries announced after a meeting in the Peruvian capital of Lima that their governments would not recognize Maduro as president if he attempted to remain in office, calling on the 56-year-old to hand over power to the National Assembly.

Caracas rejected the demand and accused the so-called Lima Group of “encouraging a coup d’etat” on instructions from the United States.

The Latin American country has been facing mounting pressure from regional countries and the US, which has targeted Caracas with economic sanctions since 2014 over alleged human rights abuses and threats to its national security.

Venezuela faces acute difficulties of its own.

A massive inflation rate and a shortage of basic commodities such as foodstuffs and medicine have forced an estimated 2.3 million Venezuelans to emigrate.

The Maduro government blames the economic crisis on the opposition and the US sanctions. The opposition says Maduro’s mismanagement is to blame.

Back in August, Maduro survived an assassination attempt during a military parade in Caracas. He was unharmed while seven Venezuelan soldiers sustained injuries in the incident. Maduro has accused the US and Colombia of being responsible for the attack.