Spain says Venezuela needs elections, does not support any military coup

MADRID (Reuters) – Spain said on Tuesday it did not support any military coup in Venezuela, even though it considered opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s legitimate leader.

Guaido said on Tuesday he had begun the “final phase” of his plan to oust President Nicolas Maduro, calling on Venezuelans and the military to back him to end Maduro’s “usurpation.”

“We … have no doubt that the solution for Venezuela has to come hand in hand with elections, Spain does not support any military coup,” the spokeswoman for Spain’s acting government, Isabel Celaa, said.