Some described their mood after Friday’s ceremony at the legislative palace in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, like an emotional hangover while others said they feel abandoned.

The inauguration of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has left his opponents grappling with conflicting feelings of hope and disappointment, pondering why the leftist leader could not be stopped despite credible evidence that he had lost the election last year.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose nearly 12 years in office have been marked by deep economic and social crisis, has been sworn in for a third term, despite a long election dispute and international calls for him to stand aside.