Venezuela Crisis: Italy Vetoes EU’s Recognition of Guaido as ‘Interim Leader’

By Staff, Sputnik

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reaffirmed on Monday his rejection of European states' ultimatum to hold a new presidential vote in Venezuela, emphasizing the legitimacy of the recent election.

Meanwhile, a Sputnik source reported that Italy vetoed a European Union statement, recognizing Guaido as the interim President of Venezuela.

"According to the information I have, Italy, at an informal meeting of the foreign ministers of EU member states on 31 January — 1 February in Bucharest, vetoed a statement on behalf of the EU, which was to be made by the head of European diplomacy Federica Mogherini and which said that the EU would recognize Guaido if new presidential elections are not organized," the source said.

However, it was announced that the European Union, together with Uruguay, plans to hold the first ministerial meeting of the international contact group on Venezuela on 7 February in Montevideo, the source added.

Rome has yet to confirm the information, however, this comes just days after Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Manlio Di Stefano said that Italy did not recognize Venezuelan opposition leader and the head of the National Assembly as the country's interim president amid the escalating political crisis in the South American country.

The information comes just hours after Maduro reaffirmed his rejection of European states' ultimatum to hold a new presidential vote in Venezuela.

On January 26, European countries issued an ultimatum to the constitutionally-elected Venezuelan President Maduro, saying that he had eight days to organize an election or they would recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president.

Earlier, Guaido, proclaimed himself the country's interim president and was immediately recognized by the US as well as a number of other countries.