EU countries recognise Juan Guaidó

European countries including Spain, France, the UK, Sweden and Denmark have recognised Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela in a coordinated move made after a deadline for Nicolás Maduro to call presidential elections expired.

“Given that we’ve got to today and Maduro’s regime hasn’t taken any steps whatsoever towards [calling elections], the government of Spain announces that it officially recognises Mr Guaidó, the president of the Venezuelan assembly, as the president in charge of Venezuela,” Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, told reporters at the Moncloa palace in Madrid.

The French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, told France Inter radio station Guaidó had “the capacity and the legitimacy” to organise a presidential election.