France, Spain give Maduro eight days' deadline

FE Team | Published: January 26, 2019 20:56:29

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 26 (AP): President Emmanuel Macron says France is ready to recognise opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's "president in charge" if no elections are held within eight days.
Macron tweeted Saturday in French and Spanish that "the Venezuelan people should be able to freely decide their future." He said France is working with European partners to encourage a "political process" that would solve Venezuela's leadership crisis.
Spain's prime minister made a similar announcement Saturday.
The United Nations Security Council was set to meet later on Saturday to discuss Venezuela after Guaido declared himself the interim president of Venezuela on Wednesday, setting off a standoff with President Nicolas Maduro.
The United States and other countries immediately recognized Guaido as president, while Maduro accuses opponents of staging a coup.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says that unless Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro calls for new elections within eight days Spain will recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of the South American country.
Sanchez says on Saturday that "Spain is giving the government of Nicolas Maduro eight days to convoke free, transparent and democratic elections, and if that does not occur, Spain will recognize Juan Guaido as the president charged with carrying out said elections."
Sanchez adds that as leader of Venezuela's National Assembly, Guaido is "the person who should lead the transition to free elections."
Sanchez says that his government wants the other 27 members of the European Union to back its position.
Guaido declared himself the interim president of Venezuela on Wednesday, setting off a standoff with Maduro.
The United States and other countries immediately recognized Guaido as president.
Venezuela's political showdown moves to the United Nations where a Security Council meeting called by the United States will pit backers of President Nicolas Maduro against the Trump administration and supporters of the country's self-declared interim leader Juan Guaido.