European Ultimatum in Maduro: call elections or recognize Guaidó

Spain, France and Germany gave Saturday an eight-day ultimatum to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to call an election and, if he does not, they will recognize the parliamentary leader of the opposition, Juan Guaidó, as acting "president". "If within eight days, no call for fair, free and transparent elections is launched in Venezuela, Spain will recognize Juan Guaidó as president of Venezuela," said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez during a televised appearance before the press.

"The Spanish government gives Nicolás Maduro 8 days to call free and transparent elections", said the Spanish socialist president. "If that does not happen, I repeat, if this does not happen, Spain will recognize Guaidó as president in charge" organize the elections. "We are not trying to set up or remove governments in Venezuela, we want democracy and free elections"Sanchez insisted.

France and Germany followed with a few minutes apart. French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on his Twitter account: "In the absence of elections announced within eight days, we are ready to recognize Juan Guaidó as" president in charge "of Venezuela." On the same social network, the spokesman of the German government Martina Fietz He warned, "If elections are not announced within eight days, we are willing to recognize Juan Guaidó."

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These are the most explicit statements of the EU Member States since the so-called Wednesday of the 35-year-old opposition leader, who had been proclaimed acting president of the oil country. Guaidó was quickly recognized by the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. The warning from Spain, France and Germany comes after several days of negotiations to adopt a common position in the EU that urged Maduro to call elections.

Member states did not close an explicit declaration on Friday. After days of silence on the issue and under pressure from the right-wing Spanish opposition to recognize Guaidó, Sánchez, who had held talks on Thursday with the opposition leader, took a step forward on Saturday. "Spain has always defended the position of the European Union in favor of democracy and freedom, and we do so in coherence with our privileged relations and with our responsibility as a member of the Ibero community. American, "he said.

"Guaidó is the person who, in our opinion, represents the highest representation of the National Assembly in the exercise of his presidency and, therefore, the person who should lead this transition to free elections" Sanchez said.

Friday, at a press conference, Maduro attacked the Spanish government saying "he wants elections, hold elections in Spain" because Sanchez was not elected president in the elections but as a result of a motion of censure. "They have no morals to give Venezuela lessons or make an ultimatum," Maduro told Miraflores on the eve of Sanchez, who granted him a period of eight days.