Venezuela is in the midst of a political crisis after opposition politician Juan Guaido declared himself president. DW takes a look at how countries in South America and beyond reacted to the move.
The move has split opinion in the international community, with some countries recognizing the 35-year-old as president, several voicing support for President Nicolas Maduro, and others calling for fresh elections.
United States: President Donald Trump declared Guaido the legitimate president via Twitter. He also pledged US economic and diplomatic power to "press for the restoration of Venezuelan democracy."
Lima Group: Thirteen of the bloc's 14 members — Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Saint Lucia — recognized the move in a joint statement. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said: "In a note I have recognized Juan Guaido as Venezuelan president ... we will give all political support to take this process to an end."
Organization of American States: OAS President Luis Almagro welcomed Guaido's announcement on Twitter. The union includes all 35 independent countries in the Americas.
Canada: Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland declared her country's support for Guaido, telling DW that Canada "recognizes and expresses our full support for the interm presidency of Venezuela."
Countries that support Maduro:
Cuba: Maduro's long-time socialist ally said it backed Maduro against the "coup attempt." Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said the Venezuelan president would "prevail against the imperialist intervention."
Bolivia: Leftist President Evo Morales also wrote on Twitter: "The claws of imperialism are again trying to deal a death blow to democracy and self-determination."
Mexico: The government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador refused to sign the Lima Group statement and instead said it would continue recognizing Maduro as president.
Russia: The Kremlin said Maduro was the legitimate president and warned that any external attempts to support regime change went against international law
Turkey: A presidential spokesman wrote on Twitter that Turkey stood by Maduro. He wrote: "My brother Maduro! Stay strong, we are by your side."
China: The foreign ministry said Beijing rejected external interference in Venezuela and fresh sanctions against Maduro's government. "China supports the efforts of the Venezuelan government to protect the sovereignty, independence and stability of the country," a spokesman said.
Venezuela on the brink
Venezuela is facing collapse amid multiple crises. DW takes a look at what has brought the oil-rich nation to its knees.
In March 2017, violent protests erupted across the country in response to a Supreme Court decision to strip the legislative branch of its powers. Amid an international outcry, President Nicolas Maduro reversed the decision, but it was too late. Thousands continued to take to the streets, calling for new elections. More than 100 people were killed in clashes with security forces.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Barreto
Hunger, a growing problem
The violence added to the ongoing economic and political crisis in Venezuela. Many Venezuelans spend more than 30 hours a week waiting in lines to shop, and are often confronted with empty shelves when they finally enter a store. President Maduro blames the crisis on US price speculation. The opposition, however, accuses the Socialist government of economic mismanagement.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/C. Becerra
Health care in crisis
The crisis has even affected health care in the oil-rich nation. Venezuelans often head to Colombia to collect medical supplies to send home, as seen in this picture. Hospitals across Venezuela have compared conditions to those seen only in war zones. As patient deaths rise, health officials have sounded the alarm on the rise of malaria and dengue fever.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/M.Duenas Castaneda
Power grab
By July 2017, Venezuela's pro-government Constituent Assembly was established. For observers, it had all the hallmarks of a power grab. The new body adopted the authority to pass legislation on a range of issues, effectively taking away the powers of Venezuela's elected congress, which was under the opposition's control. The move drew wide international condemnation.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Miraflores
The West sanctions
In response to the political crisis, the United States and European Union imposed a series of sanctions against ruling officials. The US blacklisted members of the Constituent Assembly and froze all of Maduro's assets that are subject to US jurisdiction. The EU banned arms sales to the country.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AFP/T. Schwarz
Government victorious in regional elections
In October 2017, Venezuela held two votes: regional elections and elections for governors, which were long overdue. The opposition boycotted the vote, but then split, as some candidates and small parties chose to participate. This caused a deep rift within Maduro's opponents. The government went on to sweep the vote, which detractors say was unfair and heavily favored the regime.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
Debt default
In November 2017, the oil-rich, cash-poor nation faced its day of reckoning. Credit ratings agencies declared Venezuela and its state-run oil company in "selective default." But Russia offered to restructure the South American country's debt to ensure Caracas pays its other creditors. US and EU sanctions, however, limited the chance of an agreement.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
Presidential elections scheduled
The National Assembly announced in January 2018 that it would grant Maduro's call for snap presidential elections. The electoral authority, CNE, held the elections on May 20. The EU, the US and 14 Latin American nations warned that they would not recognize the results. The mainstream MUD opposition alliance boycotted the vote, leaving only one possible outcome.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/F. Parra
Maduro wins ...
Maduro was re-elected to a second six-year term with about 68 percent of the vote. Turnout was only 46 percent, according to electoral authorities. However, the MUD opposition alliance put turnout at less than 30 percent. The Organization of American States (OAS) called the elections neither free nor fair.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
... Guaido assumes power
But weeks into the new year, the situation took a drastic turn. On January 23, 2019, parliament president Juan Guaido declared himself interim president of Venezuela — a move that was quickly recognized by US President Donald Trump. Maduro called it a US-backed "coup." Days later, the US sanctioned Venezuela's state oil firm, while Guaido staked his claim on the country's foreign assets.
Image: Imago/Agencia EFE
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And how did Europe react?
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said: "We call on all actors in Venezuela to exercise prudence and renounce violence."
In a statement released on Thursday, the EU said that civil rights, freedom and the safety of Juan Guaido all need to be "observed and respected."
The European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, called for "free and credible elections." The bloc did not recognize Guaido as president.
Similarly, the Vatican did not take sides on the developments coming out of Venezuela. In a statement, the Vatican said that Pope Francis "has been informed of the news" and that he is "supports all efforts that help save the population from further suffering."
Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, which represents the EU member governments, said separately that "unlike Maduro," Guaido has "a democratic mandate from Venezuelan citizens" because he was elected to Venezuela's parliament. Tusk called for a united response from EU countries that "supports democratic forces."
French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the "courage" of protesters and tweeted that 'Europe supports restoration of democracy' in Venezuela following the "illegitimate election" of Nicolas Maduro.
Stopping short of explicitly recognizing Guaido as Venezuelan president, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said: "We fully support the democratically elected National Assembly with Juan Guaido as its president."
