A political crisis has taken hold in Venezuela after President Donald Trump recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country’s interim president. In response President Nicolás Maduro has cut ties with Washington and made the decision to close its embassy and all consulates in the United States. He has cut diplomatic ties with the United States and is ordering the country’s diplomats to leave.
The United States has asked for a meeting of the 15-member UN Security Council “given the increasingly volatile situation in Venezuela and the growing humanitarian crisis in the country which could lead to further regional conflict and instability.”
Britain has also put their backing behind National Assembly head Juan Guaido and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said Guaido is “the right person to take the country forward”.
Mr Hunt said: “We are extremely concerned about the situation in Venezuela, but it is clear that Nicolas Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela.
“The election on May 20 was deeply flawed; ballot boxes were stuffed, there were counting irregularities and the opposition was banned.
“This regime has done untold damage to the people of Venezuela, 10% of the population have left Venezuela such is the misery they are suffering.
“So the United Kingdom believes Juan Guadio is the right person to take Venezuela forward. We are supporting the US, Canada, Brazil and Argentina to make that happen.”
Mr Guaido has declared himself acting president in the capital Caracas on Wednesday amid mass protests against Mr Maduro, whose time in office has been marked by economic collapse, hyperinflation and shortages of many basic items.
Despite the declarations by the US, UK and a number of other Latin American countries recognising Mr Guaido as interim president, the situation on the ground has not change.
President Maduro still retains the levers of power, such as over the forces of law and order and the military.
The fact two parallel government are recognised by different countries abroad is likely to heighten Venezuela’s economic chaos.
Mass protests against Mr Maduro have broken out in the country, which have so far claimed the lives of 26 people.
Protesters were heard shouting in unison: “Who are we? Venezuela! What do we want? Freedom!”
Guido wrote on Twitter in response to the protests: “The protests in the west of Caracas show that there’s no barrier to jump. Here we’re all in the same shoes; without electricity, without medicines, without gas and with an uncertain future. We’re all in mired in the same crisis.”
The opposition leader appears to have reinvigorated Venezuela’s opposition which has long been racked by infighting.
He is new to politics, but he appears to have inspired those critical of President Maduro in a way other opposition leaders before him did not.
The young leader has also appealed to those who have so far supported the government to join the protest movement.