Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as president of Venezuela on Friday, in a ceremony replete with drama as he replaced the late Hugo Chavez and urged dialogue with the opposition to build a better country.

To cheers in the National Assembly, Maduro dedicated his oath of office to "the eternal memory of the supreme commander" Chavez, who dominated this oil-rich South American country for 14 years until dying from cancer in March.

President-elect Nicolas Maduro was set to be inaugurated in Venezuela Friday, even as election officials moved to defuse a political crisis by yielding to demands for an audit of the results in Sunday's bitterly contested elections.

The last minute development came after Maduro flew to a South American summit in Peru Thursday, where he received international support for his new government hours before he was to be sworn in to succeed the late Hugo Chavez who died of cancer March 5.

Violent protests over Venezuela's disputed presidential election have so far left seven people dead and dozens injured, as president-elect Nicolas Maduro and his opposition rival traded blame Tuesday.

Protests swept parts of Caracas and other Venezuelan cities Monday after the country's election authorities proclaimed Maduro, the acting president, the narrow winner in Sunday's vote and refused demands for a recount.

Venezuela's acting President Nicolas Maduro declared victory on Sunday in the race to succeed late leader Hugo Chavez after the electoral council announced that he had won in a close battle.

"Today we can say that we had a fair electoral triumph," Maduro said after the council said he had won 50.66 percent of the vote as compared to 49.06 percent for opposition rival Henrique Capriles.

Venezuelans flocked to the polls Sunday to pick Hugo Chavez's successor, choosing between the handpicked heir of his socialist revolution and an opponent vowing change in the divided nation.

After a brief and bitter campaign, supporters of acting President Nicolas Maduro played military-style bugles to wake up people before dawn to vote in an election pitting him against opposition rival Henrique Capriles.

The body of Hugo Chavez may not have been embalmed and put on display for eternity but on the arms, legs and breasts of devoted Venezuelans, "el Comandante" will live on forever.

As Venezuela prepares to elect Chavez's successor on Sunday, the booming personality cult surrounding the late former president is best reflected in the roaring trade of the country's tattoo parlors.

Venezuela's acting president Nicolas Maduro has accused former U.S. officials Roger Noriega and Otto Reich of plotting to kill him to prevent his victory in next week's presidential elections.

Speaking at a televised campaign event on Saturday, Maduro said the plot also involved "right-wing forces" from El Salvador, which had already dispatched paid assassins to Venezuela to implement the plan.

Venezuela's presidential campaign to replace Hugo Chavez formally kicked off on Tuesday, with his chosen successor, acting President Nicolas Maduro, vowing to honor his socialist legacy at the late leader's childhood home.

As Maduro visited Chavez's hometown of Sabaneta in the west, opposition leader Henrique Capriles was heading to the opposite side of the country in the eastern state of Monagas for the short campaign ahead of the April 14 vote.

Nicolas Maduro was speechless when Hugo Chavez first told him he may have to carry on the Venezuelan leftist leader's legacy, but he now insists the "revolution is united" behind him.

The acting president, a veteran of Chavez's inner circle now hoping to succeed him in April 14 elections, described how his mentor handpicked him to lead the so-called "Bolivarian Revolution" in an exclusive interview with Agence France Presse.

Venezuela said Wednesday it has suspended a "channel of communications" with Washington as it ratchets up tension ahead of elections to replace the late president Hugo Chavez.

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said the move was a response to "interventionist statements" by U.S. assistant secretary of state Roberta Jacobson, who called for "open, fair and transparent" elections on April 14.