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/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> 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> 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> Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido seen in Caracas, Venezuela on January 25, 2019. © Reuters / Carlos Barria

Warnings from Germany, France and Spain to recognize the self-proclaimed president of Venezuela unless new elections are held came at the same time and were even similarly worded, Russia’s FM spokesperson noted.

“The statements are not simply identical but they are even made simultaneously,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, wrote on Facebook.

Earlier on Saturday, Paris, Berlin and Madrid announced their readiness to recognize the self-proclaimed “interim president” of Venezuela, Juan Guaido, unless the country holds snap presidential elections within eight days.

The messages appeared to be well-coordinated indeed.

“The government of Spain gives Nicolas Maduro eight days to call free, transparent and democratic elections,” 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.”

The ultimatum was almost instantly echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who took to Twitter issuing a similar threat in French and Spanish – to get the message through, apparently.

“The Venezuelan people must be able to freely decide their future. Without elections announced in 8 days, we could recognize [Guaido] as ‘interim president’ of Venezuela to launch this political process,” Macron said, adding that he was working with “European partners.”

Exactly the same message was posted on Twitter by the deputy spokeswoman of the German government. Later in the day, the European chorus was joined by the UK, with its Foreign Ministry voicing the ultimatum again.

ALSO ON RT.COM‘Guido’? Pompeo mangles name of US-backed Venezuelan ‘president’Guaido proclaimed himself “interim president” of Venezuela on Wednesday, swiftly receiving strong support from abroad. The US was the first to recognize the unelected “president,” and over a dozen countries – including almost all the South American states – have followed suit.

Russia, China, Turkey, Cuba and other states, however, vowed support to the elected president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, condemning the externally-fueled coup attempt. Maduro, on his part, did not take Washington’s actions lightly, and severed diplomatic ties with the US.

Over the past few days, the country has seen massive anti-government protests, as well as counter-protests staged by supporters of the legitimate authorities.

Venezuelan military and state officials have also vowed their support to the president. On Friday, Maduro announced massive military drills to be held in early February, which are supposed to warn any potential adversaries from staging open aggression against the country.

On Saturday, Russia, China, South Africa, and Equatorial Guinea blocked the US push for a UN Security Council statement expressing support for the Guaido-led National Assembly as the “only democratically-elected institution,” of Venezuela. The move came ahead of the UNSC meeting, requested by the US, in which the Venezuelan crisis is set be discussed. </s> 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> 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> European leaders have said they are prepared to recognise Juan Guaidó as president of Venezuela if elections are not called in the coming week.

Guaidó declared himself Venezuela’s interim president on Wednesday and urged people to protest in the streets in an attempt to force Nicolás Maduro and his “arrogant” dictatorship from power. He vowed to continue the protests until a transitional government was in place, but Maduro accused his opponents of orchestrating a coup.

In an apparently co-ordinated move, Germany, Spain and France all said on Saturday that they would recognise Guaidó as president if elections were not called within eight days.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Venezuelans should be able to freely decide their future.

“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 on Twitter. “We are working on it with our European partners.”

On Saturday morning, the Spanish government repeated its calls for free and clean elections and said it would recognise Guaidó as president if a vote was not announced.

“We’re not trying to install or remove governments in Venezuela,” the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said in a televised address.

“We want democracy and free elections in Venezuela … if free, fair and transparent elections are not called in Venezuela over the next eight days, Spain will recognise Juan Guaidó as the president of Venezuela.”

The German government was also ready to recognise Guaidó as interim president, a spokesperson said.

“If elections are not announced in eight days, we are ready to recognise Juan Guaidó as interim president, who can initiate a political process [and] work with European partners,” Martina Fietz said on Twitter.

The calls for elections come ahead of a United Nations security council meeting which will pit Maduro’s supporters against those of Guaidó, including the Trump administration.

Among those expected to address the meeting will be the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and the Venezuelan foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza.

In rival press conferences, Guaidó urged his supporters to stage another mass protest next week, while Maduro pushed his call for talks. Each man appeared ready to defend his claim to the presidency no matter the cost, with Guaidó telling supporters that if he was arrested they should “stay the course” and continue to protest peacefully.

The standoff could set the scene for more violence and has plunged the country into fresh political turmoil that rights groups say has already left more than two dozen dead. </s> US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told countries at the United Nations on Saturday to "pick a side" on Venezuela, urging them to back Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido and calling for free and fair elections as soon as possible.

Pompeo was addressing the 15-member U.N. Security Council, which met at his request after Washington and a string of countries in the region recognized Guaido as head of state and urged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.

"Now it is time for every other nation to pick a side ... Either you stand with the forces of freedom, or you're in league with Maduro and his mayhem," Pompeo told the council. "We call on all members of the Security Council to support Venezuela's democratic transition and interim President Guaido's role."

Pompeo called Venezuela an "illegitimate mafia state" under Maduro and doubled down on US support for the leader's ouster.

"The United States stands with the Venezuelan people," he said. "We're here to urge all nations to support the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people as they try to free themselves from former President Maduro's illegitimate mafia state."

Guaido, who took the helm of the National Assembly on Jan. 5, proclaimed himself interim president on Wednesday though Maduro, who has led the oil-rich nation since 2013 and has the support of the armed forces, has refused to stand down.

Maduro cruised to re-election in May last year amid low turnout and allegations of vote-buying by the government. The domestic opposition, the United States and right leaning Latin American governments declined to recognize the result of the vote.

Under Maduro, Venezuela has sunk into turmoil with food shortages and daily protests amid an economic and political crisis that has sparked mass emigration and inflation that is seen rising to 10 million percent this year.

Britain, Germany, France, Spain and Belgium all said on Saturday they would recognize Guaido as interim president unless Maduro called fresh elections within eight days.

"Europe is giving us eight days? Where do you get that you have the power to establish a deadline or an ultimatum to a sovereign people," Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told the Security Council. "It's almost childlike."

Arreaza said Maduro's government still hopes to establish communication and dialogue with US President Donald Trump's administration. "That offer stands," he told the council.

Read more:Venezuela's 'interim president' is in hiding — despite US backing — and appears to be failing one of his own 3 tests for securing power

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called the eight day ultimatum "absurd." Moscow opposes the US efforts and has accused Washington of backing a coup attempt, placing Venezuela at the heart of a growing geopolitical duel.

"This is not about foreign intervention in Venezuela," former US diplomat Elliott Abrams, who Pompeo named on Friday to lead US efforts on Venezuela, told the council.

Russia failed in a bid to stop Saturday's Security Council meeting. China, South Africa and Equatorial Guinea voted with Moscow to block the meeting, while nine countries voted in favor of the meeting. Ivory Coast and Indonesia abstained.

"We strongly condemn those who are pushing the Venezuelan society to the edge of a bloodbath. The US are painting a picture of a confrontation between the Maduro regime and the people of Venezuela. This picture is far from reality," Nebenzia told the Security Council.

Russia, China, South Africa and Equatorial Guinea also blocked a US push for a U.N. Security Council statement expressing full support for Venezuela's National Assembly as the country's "only democratically elected institution."

"China does not interfere in other countries internal affairs. We hope the country that accuses others can do likewise itself," said China's U.N. Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu, referring to the United States.

The United States has signaled it was ready to step up economic measures to try to drive Maduro from power.

Pompeo told reporters on Saturday that he hopes countries "will ensure that they disconnect their financial systems from the Maduro regime and allow assets that belong to the Venezuelan people to go to the rightful governors of that state."
European countries, led by France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain, notify Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro that he must call elections within eight days or they will officially recognize the claim of leadership made by Guaidó.