His subdued tone and poker face, forged as a diplomat, go against the usual image in Venezuela of boisterous politicians. Maduro and his allies have taken his demeanor as a sign of weakness and chastised him on national TV.

As Venezuela’s strongman leader prepares to be sworn in as president, the country’s opposition vows to fight on.

Syria had experienced 13 years of civil war and splintered into religious and ethnic factions before the regime fell. While Venezuela’s situation differs in many respects from that of Syria, the repressive regime in Caracas shares allies with Assad’s ousted government and, like his, is loathed by most citizens.