Juan Guaidó regains momentum in battle for Venezuela congress

Chaotic vote delivers boost for disputed leader as opposition unites behind him

In dramatic scenes this week, Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaidó tried to climb into the grounds of congress over a set of spiked iron railings, only to be hauled down by police officers, his blue suit ripped from waist to shoulder.

Mr Guaidó wanted to seek re-election as president of the National Assembly, or congress — the only democratically elected institution in the country — but was blocked from entering by police and armed forces. Inside the gold-domed building, some of Mr Guaidó’s legislators traded punches with their opponents. After a chaotic vote that broke with protocol, Luis Parra was sworn in as the new head of congress, with the backing of President Nicolás Maduro’s Socialist legislators.