By Caribbean News Global 
USA/BELGIUM— US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in a release stated that the United States continues to recognize interim president Guaidó and the last democratically elected National Assembly in Venezuela; coincides with a declaration on behalf of the European Union.
US Department of State
On December 6, 2020, the illegitimate Maduro regime staged fraudulent legislative elections in Venezuela. Sixty countries around the world either came together to issue joint statements, including those released by the European Union, the Organization of American States, the Lima Group, and the International Contact Group, or issued their own statement, rejecting the sham elections. This fraudulently elected body has now occupied the Federal Legislative Palace in Caracas. We consider this group to be illegitimate and will not recognize it nor its pronouncements.
The United States recognizes interim president Juan Guaidó as the legitimate president of Venezuela. President Guaidó and the legitimate National Assembly were elected freely in 2015 by the people of Venezuela. On December 26, 2020, the National Assembly voted to reform its Transition Statute which, along with the Venezuelan constitution, provides an explicit legal basis for it to continue its constitutional role. The legitimate National Assembly also voted to establish a subsidiary Delegated Commission, under Articles 195 and 196 of the Venezuelan constitution. President Guaidó and the National Assembly are the only democratic representatives of the Venezuelan people as recognized by the international community, and they should be freed from Maduro’s harassment, threats, persecution, and other abuses.
We know that millions of Venezuelans seek a peaceful resolution to their country’s calamitous situation. We, therefore, call upon Venezuelan political parties and civil society, including students, religious organizations, Chavistas, military families, workers, and employers, to rally around the cause of a peaceful democratic transition through free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections. Interim president Guaidó, the National Assembly, and all democratic actors working towards democratic transition represent the aspirations of millions of Venezuelans for a brighter future.
Venezuela: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union
The Venezuelan elections of December 6, 2020, for the National Assembly regrettably went ahead without a national agreement on electoral conditions. The European Union considers that the elections failed to comply with the international standards for a credible process and to mobilise the Venezuelan people to participate. The lack of political pluralism and the way the elections were planned and executed, including the disqualification of opposition leaders, do not allow the EU to recognise this electoral process as credible, inclusive or transparent, nor do they allow its outcome to be considered as representative of the democratic will of the Venezuelan people. The EU deeply regrets that the National Assembly assumed its mandate on January 5 on the basis of these non-democratic elections.
Venezuela urgently needs a political solution to end the current impasse through an inclusive process of dialogue and negotiation leading to credible, inclusive and democratic processes, including local, presidential and legislative elections. In that context, the EU will maintain its engagement with all political and civil society actors striving to bring back democracy to Venezuela, including in particular Juan Guaidó and other representatives of the outgoing National Assembly elected in 2015, which was the last free expression of Venezuelans in an electoral process.
The European Union has steadily repeated the obligation to fully guarantee the respect and protection of human rights in Venezuela and will be particularly vigilant with regard to any acts of repression, particularly against members of the opposition.
The European Union calls on the Venezuelan authorities and leaders to prioritise the interests of the Venezuelan people and to urgently come together to start a Venezuelan-led transition process, in order to find a peaceful, inclusive and sustainable solution to the political crisis. The EU stands ready to support such a process. It also stands ready to take additional targeted measures.
