Juan Guaido, leader of the Venezuelan socialist party Popular Will, has declared himself interim president of the crisis-hit Latin American country.

“I swear to assume all the powers of the presidency to secure an end to the usurpation,” the 35-year-old told an enthusiastic rally in Caracas, promising a transitional government and a legitimate vote to “re-establish the constitution” and lead the people out of the mire.

The manoeuvre drew an angry response from Mr Maduro, who has yet to cede power, accusing the opposition of staging a coup and the US of reverting to “imperialist” Cold War tactics in plotting the overthrow of a leftist goverment as part of a bid to control the region from Washington via a “puppet” regime.

Venezuela has suffered food and medicine shortages and a spate of crime waves as a result of hyperinflation, which has rendered its currency, the bolivar, virtually worthless.

Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Show all 18 1 /18 Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Protesters clash with the Bolivarian National Police during a demonstration against the government of the Venezuela and president Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on 23 January 2019 EPA Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Demonstrators cheer as Venezuela's National Assembly head Juan Guaido declares himself the country's "acting president" at a rally in Caracas AFP/Getty Images Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Opposition supporters take part in a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government REUTERS Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Opposition supporters take part in a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas REUTERS Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Juan Guaido, head of Venezuela's opposition-run congress, declares himself interim president of the nation until elections can be held during a rally in Caracas demanding leader Nicolas Maduro's resignation AP Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Opposition supporters carry letters to form the word "Democracy" while taking part in a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government REUTERS Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Police watch over marching anti-government protesters in Caracas EPA Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government A vehicle is overturned as opposition demonstrators block a road during a protest against the Venezuelan government AFP/Getty Images Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government A National Police officer fires rubber bullets during a protest against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas REUTERS Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government A demonstrator throws back a gas canister while clashing with security forces during a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas REUTERS Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Security forces look on after clashing with opposition supporters participating in a rally against Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro's government REUTERS Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Demonstrators during a protest against the government of Nicolas Maduro at Plaza Altamira in Caracas Getty Images Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Demonstrators during a protest against the government of Nicolas Maduro at Plaza Altamira in Caracas Getty Images Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government epa07313731 Opponents of Chavism demonstrate against the Government of President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, 23 January 2019. Chavists and opponents are again demonstrating in the streets of the country to support or question the legitimacy of the head of state, which the Parliament and a large part of the international community do not recognize. EPA/CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ EPA Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Riot police clash with opposition demonstrators during a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro on the anniversary of the 1958 uprising that overthrew the military dictatorship, in Caracas on January 23, 2019. - Venezuela's National Assembly head Juan Guaido declared himself the country's "acting president" on Wednesday during a mass opposition rally against leader Nicolas Maduro. (Photo by YURI CORTEZ / AFP)YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images YURI CORTEZ AFP/Getty Images Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government The remains of a statue of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez is seen hanging from a pedestrian bridge after it was destroyed in San Felix, Venezuela REUTERS Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Riot police on motorcycles clash with opposition demonstrators during protests in Caracas AFP/Getty Images Venezuela protests: thousands rally against government Supporters celebrate Juan Guaido declaration that he is Venezuelan president EPA

Juan Guaido, the son of an airline pilot and a teacher, graduated from high school in La Guaira in 2000 despite his family being left homeless by the Vargas tragedy a year earlier, in which torrential tropical rains caused flash flooding and mudslides, decimating the northern coastal state’s infrastructure and killing as many as many as 30,000 people by some estimates.

Angered by the Hugo Chavez government’s inept response to the disaster, Mr Guaido turned his attention to political activism.

He qualified as an industrial engineer after completing his studies at the Andres Bello Catholic University in 2007 and went on to undertake postgraduate degrees at George Washington University in the US capital and the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administracion, a private business school back home.

As a student, he led protests against the Chavez administration’s decision to block the TV licence of hostile broadcaster Radio Caracas Television and against the government’s referendum on constiutional reforms in its own interest, which it duly lost.

Declining a job offer in Mexico in 2009, Mr Guaido instead stayed in Venezuela to found Popular Will in partnership with his mentor, Leopolodo Lopez, currently living under house arrest.

He was elected to the National Assembly in 2011 and became federal deputy for his home state in 2016. He was sworn in as the legislative body’s new president on 5 January, restoring it to prominence after Mr Maduro had sought to have it dissolved in 2017 and subsequently lined its benches with cronies.

Mr Guaido was briefly detained by undercover intelligence officers on 13 January and subsequently showed the bruises on his forearms to supporters, decrying what he called “the marks of oppression”.

“The relationship between Venezuela and its state today is one of terror,” he told one interviewer.

“When this happens, the voices and hopes of the world, their messages, are the encouragement for the daily struggle to resist – to dream of democracy, and for a better country.”

US vice president Mike Pence spoke out against President Maduro on 22 January, releasing a video on YouTube and Twitter in which he denounced him as a “dictator with no legitimate claim to power.”

“We are with you, we stand with you and we will stay with you until democracy is restored and you reclaim your birthright,” he told the Venezuelan people, endorsing Mr Guaido's National Assembly as “the last vestige of democracy in your country”.

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With the certainty of US support, the previously largely unknown politician encouraged Wednesday's street demonstrations against the government and now finds himself at the centre of the world stage, the great hope of many of Venezuelans who believe he can alleviate their suffering by standing apart from the corrupt elite.