France believes that Juan Guaido, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, has the legitimate power to call a new presidential election in the country, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th February, 2019) France believes that Juan Guaido, the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, has the legitimate power to call a new presidential election in the country, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday.
On January 26, France, Germany, and Spain said they intended to recognize Guaido as Venezuela's interim president if the country's elected leader, Nicolas Maduro, failed to organize a new election within an eight-day period. They were later joined in their ultimatum by the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. On Sunday, French European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau said that Paris would recognize Guaido if the election was not announced by that evening.
"Since Venezuela has a presidential model of government, it is necessary to overcome the crisis by holding a presidential election. We believe that Juan Guaido has the legitimacy to organize this election," Le Drian told France Inter radio station.
Last week, Maduro told Sputnik in an interview that Caracas did not accept any ultimatums and emphasized that Venezuela did hold a legitimate election last year, in which 68 percent of voters chose to re-elect him. Maduro also suggested that "imperialists" should wait until 2025 for the next presidential vote. Earlier on Monday, Maduro reaffirmed his rejection of the EU ultimatum.
On January 23, Guaido declared himself acting Venezuelan leader to lead the country's transitional government until a new presidential election was held. The United States and a number of other, mainly Central and South American, countries have recognized Guaido. Maduro has, in turn, stated that he is the country's constitutional president and accused Guaido of being a US "puppet." Mexico, Russia, Turkey and Uruguay were among the countries that have voiced their support for Maduro.
