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VENEZUELA-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-FRANCE
Venezuela’s Guaido has ‘legitimacy to organise elections’: France
PARIS, Feb 4, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – France said Monday that Venezuela’s
opposition leader Juan Guaido had “the legitimacy to organise presidential
elections” after President Nicolas Maduro rejected a European ultimatum to
call a snap vote on his rule.
Seven EU states had given Maduro a Sunday deadline to call presidential
elections failing which they would recognise 35-year-old Guaido, who heads
Venezuela’s National Assembly, as the country’s interim president.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Inter radio that
“faced with President Maduro’s refusal to organise presidential elections
which would clarify, calm the situation in Venezuela… we consider that Mr
Guaido has the capacity and legitimacy to organise these elections.”
Asked whether France now recognised Guaido as interim president Le Drian
did not answer directly, saying the government would discuss the issue with
its European neighbours.
Maduro said Sunday he would not give into ultimatums.
He has offered to call early parliamentary elections instead.
But Le Drian insisted that only a presidential election could end the
crisis “because it’s a presidential regime” in Venezuela.
Guaido has already declared himself acting president.
On January 23, he declared Maduro’s presidency was “illegitimate” as it was
founded on flawed elections.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1508 hrs