MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The European Parliament on Thursday dealt a huge blow Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro by recognizing Juan Guaidó as ‘the legitimate interim president of Venezuela.’

‘The result of the vote was 439 votes in favor, 104 against and 88 abstentions,’ said Antonio Tajani, president of the organization.

After the vote, Tajani urged all member states of the European Union to take “a unique and strong position” with respect to the crisis in the country.

Guaidó said on Thursday that his recognition by the European Parliament is a “great step” in his struggle for democracy in Venezuela.

“We have taken a big step in our fight for democracy! We appreciate the decision of the European Parliament to recognize all the effort that we Venezuelans have put forward for the restoration of constitutional order,” he posted on his Twitter account.

Four major European member states had told Maduro to call new elections by the weekend or they will recognize Guaidó.

Maduro has refused to budge, calling international support for Guaidó a coup d’état led by US President Donald Trump.

Guaidó, leader of the democratically elected National Assembly was recognized last week as the legitimate president of Venezuela by dozens of nations, including the United States.

The leader of the country’s National Assembly has called Maduro the “usurper” of power.

Maduro had won presidential elections last May in which the opposition was not allowed to take part and which the international community called fraudulent.

The National Assembly called Maduro’s second six-year term “illegitimate,” and Guaidó became interim president of the nation, as per the Venezuelan constitution.

Guaidó has called for a new round of worldwide protests for Saturday.

Maduro has jailed hundreds since Guaidó became interim president on January 23, 700 just in one day, and at least 40 have been killed in the streets, according to the United Nations.

International journalists from France, Chile have also been jailed covering the events in Venezuela. </s> France, Germany and Spain on Saturday urged Venezuela to call elections in the next eight days, warning they would otherwise recognize the country's parliamentary chief, Juan Guaidó, as interim president.

"The Venezuelan people must be able to freely decide their future," French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted Saturday. "Without elections announced within 8 days, we will be ready to recognize Juan Guaidó as the 'president in charge' of Venezuela to start a political process. We are working on this between European partners."

The German government's deputy spokesperson, Martina Fietz, put out a similar statement moments later, adding that Berlin was also "working closely European partners." Speaking in a televised address, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez issued the same deadline for Caracas to hold "fair, free and transparent elections."

Venezuela's parliamentary leader declared himself interim president on Wednesday, after tens of thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets to express their anger over spiraling inflation, a persistent shortage of basic goods and electoral fraud. They also demanded the resignation of Nicolás Maduro, who was inaugurated for a second term as president on January 10. Opposition leader Guaidó claims the strongman's reelection was rigged.

While the United States and other countries such as Argentina, Brazil and Canada were quick to recognize the 35-year-old parliamentary leader, the European Union — which takes its foreign policy decisions by unanimity — did not offer its endorsement and remains divided on the issue.

Sánchez's support for Guaidó marks a stark change in position for Spain, which earlier this week said it was opposed to recognizing the parliamentary assembly president, and instead sought to promote negotiations between the opposition and Maduro's government to avoid the risk of a civil war, according to EU diplomats.

Madrid on Friday supported a motion in the European Council's Political and Security Committee to recognize Guaidó as president of Venezuela "in order to fulfil the task of immediately calling elections in Venezuela," Sánchez said in his address.

This call to support Guaidó was "shared by the immense majority" but not all EU countries, he added.

Maduro, who has already asked U.S. diplomats to leave the country, on Friday threatened to expel Spanish diplomats as well.

"Let them go quickly, they have no lessons to give us, their embassy and their staff. We would be happier without them," Maduro told reporters in Caracas. </s> The European Parliament adopted a resolution Thursday recognizing Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country's interim president, and called on EU countries to support him until new "free, transparent and credible" presidential elections could be held.

The resolution — initiated by the European People's Party — was backed by 439 votes to 104, with 88 abstentions.

MEPs urged EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and member states to also recognize Guaidó "as the only legitimate interim president," until new elections can be called "in order to restore democracy," the Parliament said in a statement.

MEPs condemned "the fierce repression and violence [in Venezuela], resulting in killings and casualties," and they demanded the Venezuelan authorities "halt all human rights violations, hold those responsible for them to account, and ensure that all fundamental freedoms and human rights are fully respected."

"From Europe, we can help change the Venezuelan regime and make it known that tyrants will never enlighten any democratic possibility," Spanish center-right lawmaker Esteban González Pons said in a statement, Reuters reported.

Guaidó declared himself Venezuela's interim president on January 23, in an attempt to oust President Nicolás Maduro. Guaidó has said that Maduro's reelection last year was rigged and that there was therefore no democratically elected president available.

Guaidó has since urged western powers, including the EU, to keep up pressure on Maduro in order to bring about elections in Venezuela within four weeks, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Thursday.

Also Thursday, the U.K. called for joint EU sanctions on Maduro after he dismissed what he called an "ultimatum" from EU countries calling on him to launch an election.

The United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada and others have already recognized Guaidó as Venezuela's interim president. Russia, China and Turkey continue to back Maduro.

Read this next: How to make Google stronger: Punish it </s> MADRID/PARIS/BERLIN (Reuters) - Three major European countries - Germany, France and Spain - have come out on Saturday saying they are ready to recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president if elections are not called within eight days.

“The government of Spain gives [President] Nicolas Maduro eight days to call free, transparent and democratic elections,” said Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in statement.

“If that doesn’t happen, Spain will recognize Juan Guaido as interim president in charge of calling these elections.”

In what appears to be a coordinated message from European Union countries, at almost the same time French President Manuel Macron sent a tweet echoing Sanchez’s comments.

“Unless elections are announced within eight days, we will be ready to recognize @jguaido as ‘President in charge’ of Venezuela in order to trigger a political process,” Macron said.

A spokeswoman from the German government tweeted the same message shortly after the comments from Madrid and Paris.

Guaido proclaimed himself interim president on Wednesday during a march of hundreds of thousands in Caracas.

The United States said on Friday it was ready to step up economic measures to drive Maduro from power, and most Latin American nations have joined Washington in supporting Guaido’s claim on the presidency.

Europe, however, had until now simply called for new elections in the troubled South American country.

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. </s> Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared interim president Juan Guaido said Monday that President Nicolas Maduro is trying to transfer up to $1.2 billion to a bank in Uruguay.

Speaking on national television after over a dozen European countries officially recognized him as Venezuela's leader, Guaido claimed, without presenting evidence, that Maduro was moving the money from state development bank Bandes to a financial entity in Uruguay.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States, which recognized Guaido as interim president last week, welcomed Monday's decision by European countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Sweden and Britain to follow suit.

"We are also heartened by the European Parliament's January 31 resolution recognizing Juan Guaido as interim president. They join the United States and more than 23 other countries in recognizing Juan Guaido as interim president, in accordance with Venezuela's constitution," Pompeo said in a statement.

The announcements came after a number of countries gave Maduro a deadline to hold free and fair elections, or else they would recognize Guaido, who declared himself interim president in January, as the leader of the South American country.

Guaido said during a recent VOA interview he would order new elections "when we achieve the capacity to convene elections." First, Guaido said, "we have to achieve the necessary force in order for this usurpation to end."

In New York Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the United Nations will not participate in any groups of countries looking to resolve the political crisis in Venezuela.

"The UN secretariat has decided not to be part of any of these groups in order to give credibility to our continued offer of good offices to the parties to be able at their request to help find a political solution," Guterres told reporters.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt posted on Twitter: "Nicolas Maduro has not called Presidential elections within 8 day limit we have set. So UK alongside European allies now recognizes @jguaido as interim constitutional president until credible elections can be held. Let's hope this take us closer to ending humanitarian crisis."

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Monday in Madrid that "...we are working for the return of full democracy in Venezuela..."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Inter Radio that the Venezuelan crisis would end "peacefully" with an early presidential election.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov criticized Monday's European declarations as "attempts to legitimize usurped power" and "interference in Venezuela's internal affairs."

Maduro has presided over a Venezuelan economic collapse that has resulted in chronic shortages of food and medicine. He blames the U.S. for supporting what he calls a coup to remove him from power and exploit Venezuela's vast oil reserves.

On Monday, Canada announced at an emergency meeting of the Lima group that it would provide $53 million in aid to Venezuela.

"The bulk of the funds will go to trusted partners and neighboring countries to help them support Venezuela and Venezuelans," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the group, which includes Canada and 13 Latin American countries. </s> Three major European countries - Germany, France and Spain - have come out on Saturday saying they are ready to recognise Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president if elections are not called within eight days.

"The government of Spain gives Nicolas Maduro eight days to call free, transparent and democratic elections," said Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in statement.

"If that doesn't happen, Spain will recognise Juan Guaido as interim president in charge of calling these elections."

In what appears to be a coordinated message from European Union countries, at almost the same time French President Manuel Macron sent a tweet echoing Sanchez's comments.

"Unless elections are announced within eight days, we will be ready to recognise @jguaido as 'President in charge' of Venezuela in order to trigger a political process," Macron said.

A spokeswoman from the German government tweeted the same message shortly after the comments from Madrid and Paris. </s> MADRID – Spain, Britain, Germany, Austria, Sweden and Denmark officially recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela on Monday, while France said the opposition leader had the right to organize an election in the face of the socialist government’s refusal to call new elections.

“The Government of Spain announces that it officially recognizes Juan Guaidó as president in charge of Venezuela,” Spanish President Pedro Sánchez said in a statement read before the media.

To which followed a tweet from the British Foreign Minister, Jeremy Hunt: “Nicolás Maduro has not called presidential elections within the 8-day limit that we have established (…) So the United Kingdom, together with the European allies, now recognizes @jguaido as interim constitutional president. ”

The coordinated movement of European countries comes after the expiration of eight days that the European Union gave Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to call a new presidential election.

The Venezuelan leader, accused of running the OPEC nation as a dictatorship and ruining his economy, has said Europe’s ruling elite is sycophantic and is following the agenda of US President Donald Trump.

Guaidó, who heads the National Assembly controlled by the opposition, proclaimed himself president last month provoking a division among the world powers.

Trump recognized it immediately and countries of the European Union backed Guaidó, but some are nervous about the precedent that someone feels self-proclaimed.

Russia and China, which have invested billions of dollars in Venezuela, are supporting Maduro. Moscow accused the EU countries of meddling in Venezuela’s affairs.

The Venezuelan government said it would “fully review” its relations with the European governments who had recognised Mr. Guaidó.

A foreign ministry statement said those governments were “officially submitting to the United States administration’s strategy to overthrow the legitimate government of President Nicolas Maduro”.

On Sunday Mr. Maduro dismissed calls for a new presidential vote, saying he would not accept “ultimatums”. He has denounced Mr. Guaidó’s move as a coup.

As head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Mr. Guaidó says the constitution allows him to assume power temporarily when the president is deemed illegitimate.

Meanwhile, the Lima Group of Latin American countries and Canada called Monday for a peaceful change in government in Venezuela, without military intervention.

Eleven of the group’s 14 members said in a joint statement after meeting in Ottawa that they “reiterate their support for a process of peaceful transition through political and diplomatic means without the use of force.”

They also urged Venezuela’s military to support opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president and “not to impede the entry and transit of humanitarian assistance to Venezuelans.”

Guaido’s “legitimate government of Venezuela” was also welcomed into the Lima Group.

The bulk of the funds are to go to “trusted partners” and neighboring countries to help them support three million refugees that have fled Venezuela, he said.

Mr. Maduro, who took office in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chavez, has been condemned for alleged human rights abuses and for his handling of the economy.

The annual inflation rate reached 1,300,000% in the 12 months to November 2018, according to a study by the National Assembly.

According to United Nations figures, three million Venezuelans have left the country since 2014 when the economic crisis started to bite. </s> CLOSE

Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido gather in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Thousands of Venezuelans have migrated to Spain in recent years or are seeking asylum in the country, including prominent members of the opposition and former officials who worked closely with late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. More than 177,000 Spaniards live in Venezuela. (Photo: Bernat Armangue, AP)

MADRID – European countries urged restraint in Venezuela on Tuesday and called for new elections as a way to settle the political crisis in the South American country, but there wasn't a unified voice immediately on whether to support or condemn the opposition's move to oust President Nicolás Maduro.

In a statement released late in the day, the European Union said it rejected any form of violence and would continue to push for "free and fair elections."

The president of the bloc's Parliament, Antonio Tajani, came out as the strongest European voice in support of the opposition. In a tweet in Spanish, Tajani called the events "a historic moment for the return to democracy and freedom in Venezuela," and described the release of activist Leopoldo López from house arrest as "great news."

"Let's go Venezuela free!" wrote Tajani, a prominent conservative leader.

All but four EU members endorsed the initial, Europe-wide call in February to back opposition leader Juan Guaidó when he appointed himself interim president.

The four who did not join the other EU members were Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia.

Italy has declared itself to be neutral on Venezuela, reflecting divisions within the coalition government in Rome between the right-wing League, which favors Guaidó, and the 5-Star Movement, which has warned against recognizing him.

The left-wing Greek government also has rejected pressure to endorse Guaidó and has not voiced support for Maduro as it has in the past, saying instead that elections are the only way out of the crisis.

A similar approach has been followed by Cyprus and Slovakia.

Slovakia does not recognize Guaidó as an interim president, Foreign Ministry spokesman Boris Gandel said. But he added that no Slovak representative attended Maduro's inauguration, and that showed that the country does not recognize the results of last year's presidential election.

Spain, which has been credited for setting the EU's line on Venezuela, has walked a fine line until now. Although the Spanish center-left government was the first among European peers to back Guaidó and recognize one of his aides as the "special envoy of the interim president" in Madrid, it fell short of using the term "ambassador."

That allowed Spain to maintain diplomatic ties with Maduro's administration, keeping the official Venezuelan Embassy in Madrid open. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell has warned against taking the U.S. government line of "all options on the table" to seek a "change of regime" in Venezuela, rather than facilitating free and fair elections.

A government spokeswoman said Spain "rejects a military coup," while it backs Guaidó's "legitimacy to lead democratic transition" in Venezuela.

"Guaidó represents the alternative," said the spokeswoman, Isabel Celaá, urging restraint from all sides to avoid bloodshed.

A Venezuelan woman shouts slogans in favor of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Thousands of Venezuelans have migrated to Spain in recent years or are seeking asylum in the country, including prominent members of the opposition and former officials who worked closely with late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. More than 177,000 Spaniards live in Venezuela. (Photo: Bernat Armangue, AP)

The Venezuelan crisis resonates strongly in Spain, where the issue divides parties across the political spectrum.

Thousands of Venezuelans have migrated to Spain in recent years or are seeking asylum in the country, including prominent members of the opposition and former officials who worked closely with late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. More than 177,000 Spaniards live in Venezuela.

Spain has promoted the role of the EU-led International Contact Group, which seeks elections and a safe channel for humanitarian aid into Venezuela. The ICG has been criticized by the Venezuelan opposition, which says the group helps Maduro hold onto power.

U.S. officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton, were quick to issue statements of support for the opposition. Pence tweeted: "We are with you! America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored."

The Trump administration has led calls for countries to recognize Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate leader and has won the support of 54 countries. But the effort to recruit more has largely stalled as Maduro clings to power.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the crisis in Venezuela with his top security body. Russia is a key ally of Maduro and one of his government's main suppliers of weapons.

Russian news agencies quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that Putin raised the topic during his scheduled meeting with his Security Council.

Peskov said the meeting "paid significant attention to the news reports about a coup attempt in that country," but he did not elaborate.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on "the radical opposition" in Venezuela to stand down and "refrain from violence."

"It is important to avoid unrest and bloodshed," the ministry said in a statement, adding that Venezuela's problems "should be resolved through a responsible process of negotiation without preconditions."

It also urged the opposition to avoid "destructive interference from abroad."

The U.N. said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all sides in Venezuela to exercise "maximum restraint," avoid any violence and take immediate steps to restore calm.

Contributing: Associated Press writers Nicole Winfield in Rome, Karel Janicek in Prague, Czech Republic, Nicholas Paphitis in Athens and Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow

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Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/04/30/european-union-says-free-fair-elections-solution-venezuela-antonio-tajani-maduro-guaido/3631688002/ </s> MADRID (AP) — European countries urged restraint in Venezuela on Tuesday and called for new elections as a way to settle the political crisis in the South American country, but there wasn't a unified voice immediately on whether to support or condemn the opposition's move to oust President Nicolás Maduro.

Officially, the European Union restated its position of calling for a "political and peaceful solution through free and fair elections," European Commission spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said at a briefing.

The president of the bloc's Parliament, Antonio Tajani, came out as the strongest European voice in support of the opposition. In a tweet in Spanish, Tajani called the events "a historic moment for the return to democracy and freedom in Venezuela," and described the release of activist Leopoldo López from house arrest as "great news."

All but four EU members endorsed the initial, Europe-wide call in February to back opposition leader Juan Guaidó when he appointed himself interim president.

The four who did not join the other EU members were Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia.

Italy has declared itself to be neutral on Venezuela, reflecting divisions within the coalition government in Rome between the right-wing League, which favors Guaidó, and the 5-Star Movement, which has warned against recognizing him.

The left-wing Greek government also has rejected pressure to endorse Guaidó and has not voiced support for Maduro as it has in the past, saying instead that elections are the only way out of the crisis.

A similar approach has been followed by Cyprus and Slovakia.

Slovakia does not recognize Guaidó as an interim president, Foreign Ministry spokesman Boris Gandel said. But he added that no Slovak representative attended Maduro's inauguration, and that showed that the country does not recognize the results of last year's presidential election.

Spain, which has been credited for setting the EU's line on Venezuela, has walked a fine line until now. Although the Spanish center-left government was the first among European peers to back Guaidó and recognize one of his aides as the "special envoy of the interim president" in Madrid, it fell short of using the term "ambassador."

That allowed Spain to maintain diplomatic ties with Maduro's administration, keeping the official Venezuelan Embassy in Madrid open. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell has warned against taking the U.S. government line of "all options on the table" to seek a "change of regime" in Venezuela, rather than facilitating free and fair elections.

A government spokeswoman said Spain "rejects a military coup," while it backs Guaidó's "legitimacy to lead democratic transition" in Venezuela.

"Guaidó represents the alternative," said the spokeswoman, Isabel Celaá, urging restraint from all sides to avoid bloodshed.

The Venezuelan crisis resonates strongly in Spain, where the issue divides parties across the political spectrum.

Thousands of Venezuelans have migrated to Spain in recent years or are seeking asylum in the country, including prominent members of the opposition and former officials who worked closely with late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. More than 177,000 Spaniards live in Venezuela.

Spain has promoted the role of the EU-led International Contact Group, which seeks elections and a safe channel for humanitarian aid into Venezuela. The ICG has been criticized by the Venezuelan opposition, which says the group helps Maduro hold onto power.

U.S. officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton, were quick to issue statements of support for the opposition. Pence tweeted: "We are with you! America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored."

The Trump administration has led calls for countries to recognize Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate leader and has won the support of 54 countries. But the effort to recruit more has largely stalled as Maduro clings to power.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the crisis in Venezuela with his top security body. Russia is a key ally of Maduro and one of his government's main suppliers of weapons.

Russian news agencies quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that Putin raised the topic during his scheduled meeting with his Security Council.

Peskov said the meeting "paid significant attention to the news reports about a coup attempt in that country," but he did not elaborate.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on "the radical opposition" in Venezuela to stand down and "refrain from violence."

"It is important to avoid unrest and bloodshed," the ministry said in a statement, adding that Venezuela's problems "should be resolved through a responsible process of negotiation without preconditions."

It also urged the opposition to avoid "destructive interference from abroad."

The U.N. said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all sides in Venezuela to exercise "maximum restraint," avoid any violence and take immediate steps to restore calm.

Associated Press writers Nicole Winfield in Rome, Karel Janicek in Prague, Czech Republic, Nicholas Paphitis in Athens and Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed.
The European Parliament votes to recognize Juan Guaidó as interim President of Venezuela.