Guaido designates Venezuela’s 'envoys' in Americas

By Muhammed Emin Canik

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AA) - Venezuela’s self-declared leader Juan Guaido on Tuesday designated foreign representatives in American countries.

On Twitter, Guaido said the country’s National Assembly unanimously approved his request to designate representatives in the U.S., Canada, Argentina, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Chile, Honduras and Peru and its Lima Group.

The U.S. administration has "accepted" Sunday Guaido’s designation of Carlos Alfredo Vecchio as the charge d’affaires to the U.S.

Venezuela has been rocked by protests since Jan. 10 when President Nicholas Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycott by the opposition.

Last week, Guaido, the leader of Venezuela’s opposition-led National Assembly, declared himself acting president, a move immediately supported by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Maduro quickly shot back, cutting off diplomatic relations with Washington and giving U.S. diplomats 72 hours to leave the country.

He has repeatedly lashed out at the U.S., saying Washington is waging an economic war against him and his government amid a sweeping sanctions campaign.

Brazil and the Organization of American States recognized Guaido as Venezuela's leader prior to his formal announcement. Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama and Paraguay have followed suit while Bolivia and Mexico continue to recognize Maduro.

Several South American countries, Russia, Turkey, China, and Iran have also expressed solidarity with Maduro.

European heavyweights -- including the U.K., Germany, France and Spain -- took a similar stance against Venezuela's elected president and called on Maduro to announce fresh elections within the next eight days from Saturday to ease the current political crisis in the south American nation.