BRUSSELS, Belgium (NBC) – The European Union is recognizing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate leader of the country over President Nicolas Maduro.
At a news conference Monday in Brussels, the European Union also announced that a group of European and Latin American countries will meet on Thursday to address the Venezuela crisis.
The EU’s foreign policy chief said that the meeting of top diplomats will be held in Uruguay.
The group includes the EU and eight of its member countries as well as Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Uruguay.
Several European countries have announced that they are recognizing guaido and are calling for a new presidential election in Venezuela.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini stated, “The European Union and its member states have never recognized as legitimate the presidential elections that were held last year, we did not participate, none of us, at the inauguration of Maduro on the 10th of January and we recognize, as the legitimate institution of the country, the National Assembly, and recognize the role of its president.”
Mogherini added, “The European Union has also some sanctions, targeted sanctions in place against some elements of the regime that have been in the past responsible for violations of human rights or the rights of their citizens.”
Many world leaders say the vote last year that kept Maduro in power was not a “free and fair election.”
Maduro has so far rejected calls by European countries to call an early election.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.