Spain aknowledges new Venezuelan leader

PM Pedro Sánchez formally announced Spain acknowledged Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela 'in charge of calling a general election'. The statement came alongside the official recognition of Guaidó by UK, Germany and France.

This recognition comes after Nicolas Maduro failed to adhere to the eight-day ultimatum given by the EU to call a new election.

Some EU countries have not supported Guaidó. Italy's anti-establishment government is divide over the issue, while the left-wing Syriza government in Greece has openly backed Maduro.

Russia, China, Cuba, Turkey and Bolivia have done likewise. Meanwhile US President Donald Trump was among the first to recognised Guaidó as new president alongside the majority of South American countries.

Sr Maduro stated on Spanish TV channel La Sexta: "We don't accept ultimatums from anyone" and warned Guaidó's defiance could end in civil war in Venezuela. He called Sr Sánchez 'Trump's puppet'.

As reported in CBNews last week, there are currently around 300,000Venezuelans living in Spain, the majority having fled the economic and political crisis since 2014.

The annual inflation rate reached 1,300,000% in November 2018, according to a study by the National Assembly and by the end of 2018, prices were doubling every 19 days on average.