UK recognises Guaido as 'interim president' of Venezuela after Maduro rejects European demand for fresh election

The deadline was to expire the day after thousands rallied in Caracas in support of the call for fresh elections
The deadline was to expire the day after thousands rallied in Caracas in support of the call for fresh elections Credit: Federico Parra/AFP

The British government has recognised Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela after Nicolas Maduro rejected an an ultimatum by European countries to call snap elections.

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said that the United Kingdom considers the 35-year-old opposition leader "constitutional interim president" until "credible elections can be held."

"The oppression of the illegitimate, kleptocratic Maduro regime must end," read a statement issued by the Foreign Office. 

Earlier this morning Spain also recognised Mr Guaido as "caretaker president" and further European nations are expected to follow suit. 

A defiant Mr Maduro refused the demand of seven EU states to call fresh elections by Sunday, saying in an interview with Spanish television station Sexta  that he would not “cave in to pressure” from those calling for his departure.

“Why does the European Union have to tell a country in the world that has already had elections that it has to repeat its presidential elections, because they were not won by their right-wing allies,” said Mr Maduro, interviewed in Caracas.

“They are trying to corner us with ultimatums to force us into an extreme situation of confrontation,” Mr Maduro said.

Mr Maduro warned that the White House would be "stained with blood" and he could not rule out civil war if the US and its allies intervened militarily. 

However, he supported plans for a meeting of Latin American and EU states in a “Contact Group” meeting in Montevideo next Thursday as it could lead to a “dialogue among Venezuelans to resolve our issues.”

And he called on Mr Guaido for “face to face” talks, which the younger man has already rejected.

The Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, said on Sunday that his government would join the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium in recognising Mr Guaidó as leader. 

In a tweet, Mr Kurz said he had spoken to "President Guaidó" by telephone, and that he had Austria's "full support to restore democracy in Venezuela".

"Venezuelans have suffered too long from the mismanagement and disregard of the rule of law by the Maduro regime."

Washington also turned up the heat on an increasingly isolated Mr Maduro, as Donald Trump, the US president, again warned that military intervention in the oil-rich South American nation was "an option". 

The US swiftly recognised Mr Guaidó as interim president after the parliamentary speaker swore himself in in front of a Caracas rally on Jan 23. Canada and a host of Latin American countries including Brazil, Colombia and Chile quickly followed suit, while longtime allies of Mr Maduro such as Russia and Cuba blasted what they described as imperialist interference.

Mr Guaidó and his supporters say that the Venezuelan constitution provides for the head of the parliament to take office in order to hold elections in the event that the presidency is vacant. They argue that the May elections were fraudulent and that as Mr Maduro was sworn in by the Supreme Court and not the parliament, his leadership is illegitimate. 

Mr Maduro has not recognised the Venezuelan parliament's authority since the opposition took control of it in 2016.

On Saturday, as thousands of Mr Guaido's and Mr Maduro's supporters took to the streets of Caracas for rival demonstrations, the Leftist leader dismissed demands for a fresh presidential vote and instead said he would bring forward parliamentary elections scheduled for the end of 2020.

"They want to bring forward elections, let's have elections," Mr Maduro said at a rally to mark 20 years since his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, rose to power.  

In a bid to ease Venezuela's acute humanitarian crisis, Mr Guaidó was on Sunday night expected to announce dates for the delivery of international aid at three entry points along its borders with Brazil and Colombia. He said earlier in the day that he would call on the country's armed forces to allow in the aid shipments.

Russia's foreign ministry said on Sunday that the international community must help Venezuela solve its problems "without destructive meddling from beyond its borders", the Interfax news agency reported.