US recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as president-elect
CNNCNN — The United States has formally recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the country’s president-elect following the disputed July 28 presidential election, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Tuesday on X. The announcement marks a significant change in US policy towards Venezuela: up until now, the US and other countries said Gonzalez had won more votes than incumbent leader Nicolas Maduro in July but stopped short of recognizing him as “president-elect.” “It is clear to the United States, to democratic nations around the world, and to independent international organizations that observed the July 28 elections that opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes. This gesture honors our people’s desire for change and the civic feat that we carried out together on July 28.” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil criticized Blinken’s declaration, saying on X: “‘The only place you can’t come back from is from being ridiculous,’ so goes the popular saying. Maduro remains firmly in power in Caracas and has called the opposition’s receipts “fraudulent.” Gonzalez, who fled to Spain in September fearing for his safety, has previously said he intends to return to Venezuela in the coming weeks for the presidential inauguration set for January 10.