The country’s pro-government Supreme Court, which has largely supplanted the opposition-run Congress, swore him in following a welcome with a symphony orchestra and cheering supporters waving miniature Venezuelan flags. Before he had even completed his inaugural speech, the United States accused him of “usurping power,” and Paraguay announced it was cutting diplomatic ties – a symbol of the growing diplomatic isolation that he will face in the new term. “That’s the rallying cry of our revolution to the peoples and governments of the world.” Supreme Court Chief Maikel Moreno dedicated nearly 20 minutes to explaining why Maduro was not being sworn in by congress, which the ruling Socialist Party has systematically ignored since the opposition took control of the body in 2016.