US Senators Urged EU to Recognize Guaidó as President of Venezuela

United States Senators they urged the European Union (EU) recognize the Leader of the Opposition Juan Guaidó as acting president of Venezuela to facilitate the removal of power from Nicolás Maduro.

Legislators of the Sovereign Republican Party and the democratic opposition met with representatives of Guaidó, who, in his capacity as Speaker of Parliament, was proclaimed President-in-Office after considering that the new tenure of Maduro, which took office on January 10, is the result fraudulent elections. "Illegitimate."

The delegation, headed by Venezuela's head of state affairs, Carlos Vecchio, urged senators to "urge" their European allies. "What we have done and will continue to do," Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate External Relations Commission, told reporters.

"It is important for the European Union to act appropriately and to ensure that it is very firm against Maduro and in favor of this interim government," said Sen. Rick Scott, former governor of Florida, home to a large Venezuelan community in exile.

Scott called on the European bloc to follow in the footsteps of the United States and apply economic sanctions to Venezuela's Maduro. "We will continue to pressure Maduro and he will retire so that we have democracy instead of socialism and a dictator in Venezuela," he said.

Senator Marco Rubio, chairman of the Senate's Subcommittee on International Relations for the Western Hemisphere, pointed out that "the vast majority of European countries are in favor" of ignoring Maduro.

"We are quite optimistic about the vote tomorrow in the European Parliament", he said.

The European Parliament is expected to vote on Thursday the resolution that would make the first European institution to recognize Mr. Guaidó as interim president after his self-proclamation of 23 January.

"We believe that governments that support the rule of law will reach the right conclusion"said Senator Risch.

Under pressure from Spain, Germany or France, ready to recognize Guaidó, like the United States, Canada and many countries of Latin America., the EU has sent an ultimatum to Maduro to hold presidential elections "in the coming days", something that has already rejected.

"Either you are with democracy or you are with the dictatorship and I am convinced that the European Union will be on the side of democracy"Stressed Vecchio, calling on the international community to support Guaidó and a transitional government organizing "free and transparent" elections.

In addition to Vecchio, the Venezuelan opposition delegation was composed of the OAS Special Representative, Gustavo Tarre Briceño, the Deputy and Ambbadador to the Lima Group, Julio Borges, the Coordinator of the Working Group of the OAS. OEA, David Smolansky, MP Manuel Olivares and activist Francisco Márquez.