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https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/04/americas/europe-guaido-venezuela-president-intl/index.html
(CNN)A group of major European nations recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president on Monday, urging him to hold free and fair elections.
The coordinated move came after President Nicolas Maduro ignored a demand set by some EU nations last week to call snap elections by the end of Sunday. Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland all said they would recognize Guadio as the legitimate Venezuelan leader.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on the 35-year-old National Assembly leader to hold "free, democratic presidential elections, with guarantees and without exclusions."
British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter that the UK would recognize Guaido as interim president "until credible elections can be held."
A spokesman for UK Prime Minister Theresa May said sanctions against Venezuela were also on the table, adding that the Maduro regime must end.
Maduro had rejected what he called the "ultimatum" set by EU leaders, asserting that previous elections that ushered him into another six-year term were fair. "We don't accept ultimatums from anyone," Maduro said in an interview with Spanish TV network LaSexta on Sunday.
Maduro also said he supported plans for a meeting of EU and Latin American countries in Montevideo, Uruguay, to be held on Thursday as part of a newly formed "international contact group" aimed at fostering a peaceful political process.
French President Emmanuel Macron backed the contact group's role in Venezuela's transition period on Monday, after recognizing Guaido as "acting President" in a tweet.
Speaking on France Inter radio on Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the decision to recognize Guaido was "not foreign meddling," as Russia, one of Maduro's key allies, has suggested.
Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned Europe's interference in the oil-rich country on Monday, calling it an attempt to "legitimize the usurped authority."
Since declaring himself acting president on January 23 -- invoking a constitutional rule to open a rare challenge to Maduro's presidency -- Guaido's leadership has already been recognized by Canada, the United States, Australia, and Latin American countries.
Guaido, who spoke with Trudeau in a phone call on Sunday, thanked the prime minister for Canada's support on Twitter: "Thanks for joining us on this path. It is very important for the country to count on your support during the peaceful transition of Venezuela."
In the call, Trudeau noted that Canada will host a meeting of the Lima Group regional bloc on Monday to discuss how the international community can further aid the people of Venezuela, including through immediate humanitarian assistance.
Guaido has said that humanitarian aid will begin to flow into Venezuela in the coming days, defying Maduro's repeated refusal of assistance. He outlined the move as part of a plan to push the military into cooperating with the opposition.
Maduro has repeatedly denied that Venezuela is in a crisis, suggesting aid efforts were part of an international plan to destabilize his socialist regime. During Maduro's tenure as president, the once-wealthy oil nation has descended into economic collapse and a humanitarian crisis.
(CNN)A group of major European nations recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president on Monday, urging him to hold free and fair elections.
The coordinated move came after President Nicolas Maduro ignored a demand set by some EU nations last week to call snap elections by the end of Sunday. Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland all said they would recognize Guadio as the legitimate Venezuelan leader.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on the 35-year-old National Assembly leader to hold "free, democratic presidential elections, with guarantees and without exclusions."
British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said on Twitter that the UK would recognize Guaido as interim president "until credible elections can be held."
A spokesman for UK Prime Minister Theresa May said sanctions against Venezuela were also on the table, adding that the Maduro regime must end.
Maduro had rejected what he called the "ultimatum" set by EU leaders, asserting that previous elections that ushered him into another six-year term were fair. "We don't accept ultimatums from anyone," Maduro said in an interview with Spanish TV network LaSexta on Sunday.
Maduro also said he supported plans for a meeting of EU and Latin American countries in Montevideo, Uruguay, to be held on Thursday as part of a newly formed "international contact group" aimed at fostering a peaceful political process.
French President Emmanuel Macron backed the contact group's role in Venezuela's transition period on Monday, after recognizing Guaido as "acting President" in a tweet.
Speaking on France Inter radio on Monday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the decision to recognize Guaido was "not foreign meddling," as Russia, one of Maduro's key allies, has suggested.
Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned Europe's interference in the oil-rich country on Monday, calling it an attempt to "legitimize the usurped authority."
Since declaring himself acting president on January 23 -- invoking a constitutional rule to open a rare challenge to Maduro's presidency -- Guaido's leadership has already been recognized by Canada, the United States, Australia, and Latin American countries.
Guaido, who spoke with Trudeau in a phone call on Sunday, thanked the prime minister for Canada's support on Twitter: "Thanks for joining us on this path. It is very important for the country to count on your support during the peaceful transition of Venezuela."
In the call, Trudeau noted that Canada will host a meeting of the Lima Group regional bloc on Monday to discuss how the international community can further aid the people of Venezuela, including through immediate humanitarian assistance.
Guaido has said that humanitarian aid will begin to flow into Venezuela in the coming days, defying Maduro's repeated refusal of assistance. He outlined the move as part of a plan to push the military into cooperating with the opposition.
Maduro has repeatedly denied that Venezuela is in a crisis, suggesting aid efforts were part of an international plan to destabilize his socialist regime. During Maduro's tenure as president, the once-wealthy oil nation has descended into economic collapse and a humanitarian crisis.
