US recognises Venezuelan opposition leader Gonzalez as president-elect

US announcement follows months of vexation complete Maduro government’s claims of triumph successful contested July election.

The United States has recognised Venezuelan guidance leader Edmundo Gonzalez arsenic nan country’s rightful president-elect, pursuing a July predetermination successful which President Nicolas Maduro was accused by his home opponents of falsely claiming victory.

The US has besides formed uncertainty connected Maduro’s claims of occurrence successful nan election, which pre-election polls had shown him connected way to suffer by a ample margin. Maduro’s authorities has refused calls to merchandise information that could corroborate his victory.

“The Venezuelan group said resoundingly connected July 28 and made Edmundo Gonzalez-Urrutia nan president-elect,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said successful a societal media station connected Tuesday.

“Democracy demands respect for nan will of nan voters.”

The Venezuelan group said resoundingly connected July 28 and made @EdmundoGU nan president-elect. Democracy demands respect for nan will of nan voters.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) November 19, 2024

The US and galore governments crossed Latin America person refused to recognise Maduro’s victory, wide viewed pinch scepticism and followed by a harsh post-election crackdown by nan Venezuelan government.

The country’s opposition, which faced prosecution of respective apical candidates successful nan months preceding nan July 28 election, has besides collected tally sheets purporting to show that they hit Maduro by a two-to-one margin.

It remains to beryllium seen what impact, if any, nan nickname of Gonzales by nan management of US President Joe Biden will have. The guidance leader has fled to Spain but has said he would return to nan state connected January 10, erstwhile nan caller statesmanlike word begins.

While nan Biden management had antecedently stated that nan guidance won nan astir votes, it had stopped short of recognising Gonzalez arsenic nan country’s leader, perchance retired of a desire to find a negotiated solution to nan impasse pinch nan Maduro government.

Venezuela has faced increasing negotiated isolation pursuing nan contested election. While Washington has agelong had icy relations pinch Caracas, and moreover taken steps to overthrow erstwhile governments, location leaders connected antecedently amicable position pinch Maduro person grown much impatient pinch nan government.

“I deliberation nan elections were a mistake,” left-wing Colombian President Gustavo Petro said connected Tuesday, adding that they had not been “free”.

In August, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who had antecedently emphasised nan request for an easing of sanctions against Venezuela which person contributed to nan country’s economical turmoil, said nan Maduro authorities was a “very unpleasant regime”.

Source

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Al Jazeera and news agencies