Venezuela's Maduro draws support and criticism

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - The world has split into two camps over the ongoing government crisis in Venezuela.

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

Tensions climbed across the South American country when opposition leader Juan Guaido self-declared himself the acting president last week.

- America

U.S. President Donald Trump put out a statement recognizing Guaido, the leader of Venezuela’s opposition-led National Assembly, as the interim president of the country.

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, Honduras, Peru and Paraguay have followed suit.

Bolivia, Cuba and Mexico were the only countries in the region which continue to recognize Maduro's presidency as leftist allies. Also, Mexico, once a member of the Lima Group, is willing to mediate in Venezuela’s political conflict.

Lima Group is a body of 12 Latin American countries.

- EU states

Several EU member states have called on Maduro to announce fresh elections within eight days to ease the current political crisis saying they would recognize Guaido as the acting president if elections are not announced.

The EU fully supports Venezuela's National Assembly as the democratically elected institution whose powers need to be restored and respected, the EU’s foreign minister said Wednesday.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a tweet: “We do not seek to put or remove governments, we want democracy and free elections in ‪#Venezuela. In any case, if in eight days there is no call for fair, free, transparent and democratic elections, Spain will recognize ‪@jguaido as president of Venezuela."

Portugal called for free elections with its foreign minister, Augusto Santos Silva telling Maduro "time is up".

French President Emmanuel Macron said they would recognize Guaido as the acting president of Venezuela if fresh elections are not announced.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and German government spokesman Steffen Seibert shared similar views on the current political crisis.

Belgium’s foreign minister on Friday called for “credible” elections in Venezuela.

Also, Israel and Australia recognized Guaido as the acting president.

Holland is ready to recognize Guaido if elections in Venezuela are not announced in eight days.

- Support

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced solidarity with Maduro, a day after the U.S. recognized Guaido as the “interim leader”, saying that Turkey never sides with coup plotters.

Russia and China both opposed the U.S. call to support Guaido and condemned any international interference in the affairs of Venezuela.

Iran has thrown its weight behind Maduro.

“Iran opposes all foreign interference in Venezuela’s domestic affairs,” Bahram Qasemi, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said in a statement.

South Africa is against any attempts at “undue or unconstitutional change” of government in Venezuela, the country’s envoy to the UN Security Council said.

Benedict Wachira, head of the Communist Party of Kenya (CPK), condemned the U.S. intervention in Venezuela, terming it wrong and undiplomatic.

India called for dialogue among stakeholders in Venezuela.