Great Britain, France, Austria, Germany, Holland and Spain break any hesitation. At the expiry of the ultimatum launched to President Nicolas Maduro, the major European capitals officially acknowledged Juan Guaidò, self-proclaimed interim president of Venezuelauntil the next presidential election. The Spanish premier Sanchez, the Austrian chancellor Kurz and the foreign ministers of Paris, Le Drian, and of London, Jeremy Hunt, made announcements almost simultaneously, while Paris gives legitimacy to Guaidò to call presidential elections. The Italian government tacand but, in the face of this silence, the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella took the field.
"There can be no uncertainty or hesitation in choosing between the will of the people and the request for authentic democracy on the one hand and the violence of force on the other”, said President Mattarella asking for a sense of responsibility and clarity in Italy for Venezuela on a line shared with the European allies and partners.
On the opposite side, Nicolas Maduro said he had written to the Pope. "I have sent a letter to Pope Francis - he said in an interview with Sky TG24 - I hope he is traveling or has arrived in Rome, at the Vatican, saying that I am at the service of the cause of Christ. And in this spirit I asked him for help, in a process of facilitating and strengthening dialogue, as a direction. I ask the Pope to produce his best effort, his will to help us along the path of dialogue. We hope to receive a positive response."
Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez announced that Spain "officially recognizes Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela". "In the next few hours - continued the Spanish premier - I will get in touch with the European and Latin American governments who want to join" this recognition.
Recognize me as president encargado de Venezuela a @jguaido, with a clear horizon: the convocatoria de electiones presidenciales libres, democráticas, con garantías y sin exclusiones.
Don't give it another step.
For freedom, democracy and harmony #Venezuela- Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) 4 February 2019
London, Vienna and Berlin moved together. Britain "along with its European allies recognizes Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president until credible elections can be held," announced British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. "Nicolas Maduro did not call the presidential elections within the eight-day limit that we had established", underlined the minister, hoping that this recognition "brings us closer to the end of this humanitarian crisis". In Austria it was directly the chancellor Sebastian Kurz who moved while in Germany the recognition of Guaidò came through the mouth of the spokesman of the chancellor Angela Merkel, during a press conference. Also the Netherlands “they recognize Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela. We want freedom and democracy to return" to the country "as soon as possible". So Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok, who recalls how the eight days to call free and democratic elections expired today, Monday.
Maduro can instead count onMoscow's support which considers the European position as "intervention in the internal affairs" of the South American country. On behalf of Vladimir Putin spoke directly Kremlin spokesman This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov. “The internal political crisis in Venezuela can only be solved by the Venezuelans themselves,” Peskov stressed. “The imposition of any solution or the attempt to legitimize the attempted usurpation of power is, in our view, direct interference in Venezuela's internal affairs,” Peskov said, quoted by Tass.
On the same topic read also the comment by Claudia Segre.
