The United States congratulated the main powers of the European Union for the support of Juan Guaidó and called on all countries to "support the Venezuelan people"

US Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo on Monday welcomed the recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela by the Great Powers of the Union. European Union, and urged other countries to join.

"We encourage all countries, including other EU Member States, to support the Venezuelan people by recognizing the interim President, Mr Guaidó, and supporting the efforts of the National Assembly for the return to constitutional democracy in Venezuela ",I Pompeo in a statement.

The secretary of state also renewed Washington's appeal to the Venezuelan army for it to ignore President Nicolás Maduro.

"We reiterate our call to the Venezuelan Armed and Security Forces to support their country's Constitution and to protect all Venezuelan citizens, including Acting President Guaidó and his family, as well as US citizens and citizens. other foreign citizens in Venezuela. " said Pompeo.

(Donald Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, also congratulated the European countries that recognized Guaidó and invited others to make the same decision.)

Washington recognized Guaidó a few minutes after his proclamation of January 23On Monday, too, more than a dozen European countries did so after Maduro refused to call a presidential election despite a European ultimatum.

Guaidó, president of the National Assembly (Parliament), autojuramentado invoking the Magna Carta, after the legislator declared "illegitimate" the second term of Maduro, started on January 10 after elections considered fraudulent.

In all, 19 countries of the European Union They recognized Guaidó on Monday: Spain, Portugal, Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Hungary, Austria, Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Sweden and Croatia.

The European Parliament has asked all EU countries to recognize Guaidó. But within the EU, there are notable reservations, such as Italy, whose populist coalition government has blocked a joint European declaration on Venezuela, according to diplomatic sources, and Greece, whose left-wing party Syriza, in power, openly supports Maduro.