US recognises Venezuelan opposition leader Gonzalez as president-elect
Al Jazeera
US announcement follows months of frustration over Maduro government’s claims of victory in contested July election.
The United States has recognised Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the country’s rightful president-elect, following a July election in which President Nicolas Maduro was accused by his domestic opponents of falsely claiming victory.
The US has also cast doubt on Maduro’s claims of success in the election, which pre-election polls had shown him on track to lose by a large margin. Maduro’s government has refused calls to release data that could confirm his victory.
“The Venezuelan people spoke resoundingly on July 28 and made Edmundo Gonzalez-Urrutia the president-elect,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a social media post on Tuesday.
“Democracy demands respect for the will of the voters.”
