Venezuelas Maduro: Marxist, Christian, iron-fisted superhero [Video]

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has been written off many times during a turbulent decade in power. But the former bus driver and anointed heir of Hugo Chavez has stubbornly clung to the wheel.

With neither the charisma nor the flush oil revenues of his late revolutionary mentor, Maduro is accused by rights groups of embracing full-blown authoritarianism to hold on to power.

Hugely unpopular after years of economic crisis, the 61-year-old will still seek a third consecutive six-year term in July 28 elections — against a severely weakened political opposition in what critics call a campaign of relentless persecution.

Tall, and sporting a full mustache and slicked-back graying hair, Maduro was thrust into power as the handpicked successor of Chavez, who died of cancer in 2013 but is still hailed by many as a revolutionary hero.

Struggling to gain respect as the legitimate successor to Chavez, Maduro won his first …