World

Maduro given 8-day ultimatum

Britain, Germany, France, Spain poised to recognize Venezuela’s Guaido

January 26, 2019
Venezuela's National Assembly head and the country's self-proclaimed
Venezuela's National Assembly head and the country's self-proclaimed "acting president" Juan Guaido (back of motorbike), leaves after a gathering with opposition supporters at Bolivar Square in Chacao, eastern Caracas. — AFP

Madrid — Spain, Britain, France and Germany on Saturday gave embattled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro an ultimatum, saying they would recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as president unless he calls elections within eight days.

The ultimatum comes as international pressure mounts on the Maduro regime to agree a new vote, with the United States, Canada and major South American players already recognizing Guaido, who proclaimed himself acting president of Venezuela during massive street rallies this week.

After four years of economic pain that has left Venezuelans short of food and medicine and driven more than two million to flee, Guaido is trying to oust Maduro following controversial elections that saw the socialist leader sworn in for a second term.

“If within eight days there are no fair, free and transparent elections called in Venezuela, Spain will recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuelan president” so that he himself can call such polls, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a televised announcement.

French President Emmanuel Macron followed suit in a tweet, saying “the Venezuelan people must be able to freely decide on their future,” as did German government spokeswoman Martina Fietz.

The coordinated announcements are the most explicit yet from EU countries as the 28-member bloc struggles to draft a joint statement with regards to its position on the crisis in Venezuela.

Spain had wanted the EU to take a tough line on Maduro by calling for immediate elections, failing which the bloc as a whole would recognize Guaido, the 35-year-old head of Venezuela’s National Assembly.

But countries like Austria, Greece and Portugal are much more reluctant.

In fact Greece’s ruling party Syriza has publicly backed Maduro, with party secretary Panos Skourletis voicing “full support and solidarity” to what to he called “the legal president.”

President Donald Trump’s administration has spearheaded the international pressure on Maduro, who accuses Washington of being behind an attempted “coup,” by declaring his regime “illegitimate.”

Washington’s support for Guaido led Maduro to close the US embassy and consulates and break diplomatic ties.

Guaido is instead urging the US diplomats to stay and keep the embassy’s doors open.

Maduro’s reelection last year was contested by the opposition and criticized internationally -- but he has until now retained the loyalty of the powerful military.

Spain is closely linked to Venezuela, a former colony, as some 200,000 of its nationals live there.

Sanchez insisted Saturday that Spain is “not looking to impose or remove governments in Venezuela, we want democracy and free elections in Venezuela.”

However, the Venezuelan state and the military have so far remained loyal to Maduro despite a deep economic and political crisis that has sparked mass emigration, with inflation forecast to rise to 10 million percent this year. — Agencies


January 26, 2019
460 views
HIGHLIGHTS
World
7 hours ago

Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison

World
7 hours ago

Jacob Zuma barred from running in South Africa elections

World
10 hours ago

India opposition leader Kejriwal to remain in jail in corruption case