Just hours before the National Assembly (AN) of Venezuela swears in Nicolás Maduro as president for a third consecutive term on January 10, the elected president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that he recognizes opposition leader Edmundo González as the new elected president in this country.
Trump notified his position during Thursday afternoon through his social network Truth Social, where he also highlighted his support for the opposition leader and ally of González, María Corina Machado.
The new US president classified Maduro's administration as "a regime".
"The Venezuelan democratic activist María Corina Machado and President-elect González are peacefully expressing the voices and WILL of the Venezuelan people with hundreds of thousands of people protesting against the regime," wrote Donald Trump, showing photos of María Corina Machado at a rally she attended this Thursday, from which she was taken into custody and released almost an hour later.
The Republican issued a warning, emphasizing that neither Edmundo González nor Maria Corina Machados should be harmed.
"The large Venezuelan-American community in the United States overwhelmingly supports a free Venezuela, and they strongly supported me. These freedom fighters should not be harmed, and they MUST remain SAFE and ALIVE!"
At 6:39 in the evening (Venezuela time), Edmundo González posted a message on X, thanking Trump for his support: "Thank you, President-elect, Trump! Venezuelans know that we can count on your determination regarding the Venezuelan cause."
Trump and other governments supporting Edmundo González
In this way, Donald Trump joins the presidents who have recognized Edmundo González as the elected president of Venezuela, since so far, neither Nicolás Maduro nor the National Electoral Council (CNE) have shown the voting records that validate his victory in the presidential elections of July 28, 2024. Those who did show records were González and his electoral table witnesses, reflecting more than seven million votes. Currently, the National Bank of Panama has a copy of these opposition records under guard.
Other presidents supporting González are those of Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, and Panama. The Parliaments of Spain and the Dominican Republic did the same, even though their governments did not.
Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, North Korea, Serbia recognize Nicolás Maduro as the elected president, while other governments such as Brazil, Colombia, and Germany remain neutral without supporting anyone until the National Electoral Council (CNE) shows the voting records that demonstrate the victory of any of the candidates in the recent elections.