The US and Canada recognised Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country’s interim president on Wednesday, in a direct challenge to the regime of Nicolás Maduro.
The apparently co-ordinated move, swiftly joined by Brazil, Colombia and other Latin American countries, came as Mr Guaidó swore himself in at an ad hoc ceremony in Caracas, while opposition supporters staged mass rallies throughout the country.
Mr Maduro began a second term as president two weeks ago. The EU and more than 20 countries, including the US, Canada and some of Latin America’s biggest states, said they did not recognise that inauguration following elections last year widely regarded as fraudulent.