EU parliament recognises Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president after formal vote

‘From Europe, we can help change the Venezuelan regime and make it known that tyrants will never enlighten any democratic possibility,’ says centre-right EU lawmaker

The European parliament has voted to recognise Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s interim president.

In a move designed to keep pressure on president Nicolas Maduro, lawmakers voted in a non-binding resolution to recognise Mr Guaido as the country’s de-facto leader and called on all EU governments to follow suit.

“From Europe, we can help change the Venezuelan regime and make it known that tyrants will never enlighten any democratic possibility,” Spanish centre-right EU lawmaker Esteban Gonzalez Pons said in a statement.

It comes amid an increasingly coordinated international effort to force Mr Maduro out, with US president Donald Trump also recognising Mr Guaido as leader and Washington announcing fresh sanctions against the country on Tuesday.

Mr Maduro, sworn in on 10 January for a second term after disputed elections last year, accuses Mr Guaido of staging a US-directed coup against him. Mr Maduro is backed by a number of countries, including Russia.

Mr Guaido has asked European Union governments to keep up the pressure on his rival.

The parliament in a statement recognised him as “the only legitimate interim president”, until new elections can be called “in order to restore democracy”.

In the motion, MEPs condemned “the fierce repression and violence [in the country], resulting in killings and casualties”.

They also demanded that the Venezuelan authorities “halt all human rights violations, hold those responsible for them to account, and ensure that all fundamental freedoms and human rights are fully respected”.

On Wednesday MEPs agreed to hold an emergency debate on the matter, with a vote on Thursday. The statement was backed by 439 votes for to 104 against, with 88 abstentions recorded.

British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said following talks with the opposition leader: “I said to him, what is your message for myself and the other foreign ministers?

“He said two things: please keep up the pressure on Maduro who has done so much damage and remember this is about the humanitarian catastrophe that is going on at the moment.”

Mr Hunt also criticised Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for having previously congratulated Mr Maduro when he became president in 2013.

“Simply because they share Maduro’s anti-western worldview is not a reason to turn a blind eye to someone who has driven his people into poverty where 70 per cent of children in some areas are facing malnutrition,” he said in a thinly veiled statement apparently aimed at the opposition leader.

Mr Corbyn has said he condemns violence in Venezuela and has called for a negotiated settlement, but warned against outside interference.

Additional reporting by agencies