Nicolas Maduro has been sworn in as Venezuelan president, succeeding the late Hugo Chavez who died of cancer in March after ruling for 14 years.
During his speech, a man grabbed the microphone and was dragged away, after which Mr Maduro criticised security saying he could have been shot.
Thousands gathered on the streets of Caracas to show their support for Mr Maduro and to celebrate independence.
The ceremony follows a decision to audit votes cast in Sunday’s election.
Mr Maduro was elected president ahead of opposition leader Henrique Capriles by 1.5% of the vote.
Mr Capriles, who believed there were voting irregularities, says he accepts the electoral audit.
Opposition supporters protested against Mr Maduro’s inauguration by banging on pots and pans, and playing salsa music.
‘Fresh lies’
Mr Capriles wrote on Twitter he hoped the salsa would “be heard across Venezuela”.
“Fresh lies. Come on, Venezuela, the fight for the truth goes on!”
Mr Maduro opened his inauguration speech saying that he wanted to govern for “all Venezuelans”.
“I want to extend the hand so we can build an inclusive nation for everybody,” he told his audience during a long speech.
Dozens of leaders from across the region (including Brazil, Cuba and Colombia), Iran and some Arab countries attended the ceremony.
But Mr Maduro was interrupted by a man who ran on stage and grabbed his microphone.
The incoming president responded by criticising his security.
“I could have been shot here,” he told the audience.
Then as he regained his composure he added: “Incident overcome. I will try to speak to this man later.”
The motives of the man, who wore a red jacket – the colour favoured by “Chavistas” – and only managed to say his name before being hustled away, were not immediately clear.
In his speech, Mr Maduro promised a “revolution within the revolution” and compared Mr Capriles to the man installed as president of Venezuela during a short-lived 2002 coup against President Chavez, Pedro Carmona.
“I’m willing to even talk to the devil, even to the new Carmona, if necessary to stop his hatred against me, against the people, to stop his intolerance.”
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