The U.S. government recognized Juan Guaidó as 'interim president' of Venezuela, despite doubts expressed within the Venezuelan opposition itself.

 

"We continue to recognize Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela," U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a telephone press conference.

 

Price reiterated that the United States supports "the peaceful restoration of democracy through free and fair elections," and that they will continue to work to "end the humanitarian crisis" the country is experiencing.

 

Although the United States recognizes Guaidó, several countries have declined to continue recognizing him, such as The European Union, which stopped referring to Guaidó as president-in-charge after the criticized elections for the National Assembly in 2020. It instead chose the title 'privileged interlocutor.'

 

On the other hand, earlier this week, the Venezuelan opposition National Assembly approved the constitutional continuity of the Presidency-in-Charge, held by the opposition leader, who celebrated the ratification of his commitment to the "defense of Venezuelans."

 

"Today #3Ene ratifies our commitment to the defense of Venezuelans, the possibility of solutions to the crisis and the international dialogue to achieve it. All attached to our Constitution," Guaidó wrote on Twitter.

Nicolás Maduro announced in an interview with the Venezuelan channel Telesur that he would like to establish a "direct, brave and sincere" dialogue with the United States.

 

"Hopefully, who knows when and with whom, the possibilities of a direct, courageous, sincere and understanding dialogue with the Government of the United States will open up. Hopefully with the government of Joe Biden," he said.

 

Maduro's government and the Venezuelan opposition initiated a negotiation process on Aug. 13 in Mexico, following a proposal by Guaidó.

 

However, on Oct. 16, Maduro's administration suspended the talks after Cape Verde extradited to the United States the Colombian businessman Álex Saab, accused of being a frontman for the Venezuelan president and who was included as a member of the government delegation at the negotiation table.

 

Guaidó proclaimed himself president in charge in January 2019, when he also led the National Assembly (AN, Parliament), which then had a large opposition majority protected by a particular reading of the Constitution that allowed him to be so for 30 days, with the premise, among others, of calling elections that never came.