U.S. calls for the formation of new government in Venezuela

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. stepped up its criticism of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Saturday with an explicit call for the formation of a new government in the South American country.

The State Department said in a statement that it stood behind the head of Venezuela’s oppositionrun c o n g re s s, Ju a n Guaido, who said Friday that he was prepared to step into the presidency temporarily. The statement was the latest in a series of Trump administration attacks on Maduro, whose inauguration to a new term as president Thursday has been widely denounced as illegitimate.

“The people of Venezuela deserve to live in freedom in a democratic society governed by the rule of law,” State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said.