The United States continues to recognize Venezuela’s National Assembly elected in 2015 and will continue to coordinate with its former leader Juan Guaidó, the White House said Wednesday.
The Washington’s recognition of Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela he was called into question in late December, when the opposition National Assembly voted to strip him of the title and dissolve that government, declared in 2019.
In a press conference, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday that the United States still recognizes that National Assembly as the “last remaining democratic institution” in Venezuela.
Asked if Washington still recognizes Guaidó as interim president, Kirby said he did not want to “get into hypotheses” and vowed that the United States would “coordinate with him and other like-minded members” of the opposition legislature.
Guaidó became the face of the opposition Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in 2019, when he invoked the constitution to assume the interim presidency, but did not achieve the goal of ousting the president from power and who continues to control almost all government institutions.
The then president of the United States, Donald Trump, recognized Guaidó as the legitimate president by assuring that Maduro’s re-election in 2018 was a farce. Maduro has remained in power with the support of the military and allied countries such as Russia, China, Cuba and Iran.
The removal of interim government raised doubts about the future of the assets under its control. Opposition lawmakers voted to appoint a commission to protect the assets.
Kirby’s comments were echoed by State Department spokesman Ned Price, who on Tuesday he left the question open of the official designation of Guaidó.
“We will continue to coordinate with him as a member of the 2015 National Assembly and with other like-minded democratic actors in Venezuela to support the Venezuelan people in their aspirations for democracy, rule of law and prosperity in their country,” Price told reporters.
Washington’s position on the need for free and fair elections in Venezuela and about Maduro has not changedPrice said. Maduro “is not the legitimate leader. We recognize the 2015 National Assembly,” he added.
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