The European Parliament has recognised Venezuela’s self-declared interim president Juan Guaido as de facto head of state, heightening international pressure on the OPEC member’s socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
EU politicians voted 429 in favour to 104 against, with 88 abstentions, at a special session in Brussels on Thursday to recognise Guaido as interim leader.
In a statement with the non-binding vote, the parliament urged the bloc’s 28 governments to follow suit and consider Guaido “the only legitimate interim president” until there were “new free, transparent and credible presidential elections”.