Dec 31, 2022, 10:30 AM

Venezuelan opposition puts end to interim government

Venezuelan opposition puts end to interim government

TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (MNA) – The Venezuelan opposition put an official end on Friday to the interim government headed by Juan Guaido, who since January 2019 claimed to be the "interim president".

The ousting came after a 72-29 vote in favor of eliminating the self-proclaimed interim government. A total of eight officials abstained from voting, Sputnik reported. 

Guaido was named the leader of the so-called interim government after the United States and dozens of other western nations called the most recent election of President Maduro illegitimate and refused to accept him as the leader of Venezuela.

Under the Venezuelan constitution, if a President cannot be named after an election, the post will fall to the leader of the country's legislature, who was Guaido at that time. But the interim government failed to gain any political influence or control of the nation's institutions. Guaido's claim as President took another hit this October when his term as leader of the National Assembly came to an end.

At that time, according to a Reuters report, representatives of the opposition party said they would not support the parallel government, even if someone other than Guaido was elected or appointed as its leader.

In a last-ditch effort to keep the opposition government alive, Guaido asked the National Assembly to appoint a new leader, rather than dissolve the institution and compete with Maduro in the elections scheduled for 2024. However, three of the four opposition parties decided to eliminate the parallel government.

The vote on Friday was the second to determine the fate of Guaido's alleged presidency. Last week, the assembly voted to end its support for Guaido in a 72-23 vote. Friday's vote was taken to ratify that decision.

Guaido's time as interim president will officially end on January 4. Many of the countries that once supported his claim have already relented and recognized the Maduro government. However, the United States still officially considers Guaido as the legitimate President of Venezuela, despite opening up discussions with the Maduro administration about oil exports and the easing of sanctions.

Talks between Maduro and the opposition are scheduled to continue next month in Mexico.

SKH/PR

News ID 195550

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