Maikel Moreno

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro began a new term on Thursday with the economy in ruins and his regime more isolated than ever as regional leaders declared his re-election illegitimate and shunned his inauguration, reports AFP. 

Venezuela's pro-government Supreme Court revoked its takeover of the opposition-led Congress on April 1 after it drew international condemnation and protests against socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

"This controversy is over," Maduro said just after midnight at a specially convened state security committee, Reuters reported.