Venezuela crisis: Europe tells Nicolas Maduro to call elections

European leaders have given Venezuela’s president an ultimatum — either call new elections in the next eight days or they will recognise his rival as interim president.

Germany has joined France and Spain in saying it will recognise opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela if President Nicolas Maduro’s government doesn’t hold new presidential elections.

A spokeswoman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel tweeted Saturday that, “the people of Venezuela must be able to freely and securely decide about its future.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Picture: AP

French President Emmanuel Macron. Picture: AFP

The French president and Spain’s prime minister made a similar announcement.

The United Nations Security Council is meeting later Saturday to discuss the situation in Venezuela after Guaido declared himself the interim president of Venezuela on Wednesday, setting off a standoff with Maduro.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Picture: AP

Guaido is head of the congress, which considers Maduro’s re-election last year invalid.

The United States and several other countries immediately recognised Guaido as president, while Maduro accuses opponents of staging a coup.

President Emmanuel Macron says France is ready to recognise opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s “president in charge” if no elections are held within eight days.

Venezuela's National Assembly head Juan Guaido (L) and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, right. Picture: AFP

Macron tweeted Saturday in French and Spanish that “the Venezuelan people should be able to freely decide their future.”

He said France is working with European partners to encourage a “political process” that would solve Venezuela’s leadership crisis.

Spain’s prime minister made a similar announcement Saturday.

Juan Guaida, who has appointed himself interim president, arrives to a meeting with deputies, media and supporters organised by the National Assembly at Plaza Bolivar of Chacao on in Caracas, Venezuela. Picture: Getty

The United Nations Security Council is meeting to discuss Venezuela after Guaido declared himself the interim president of Venezuela on Wednesday, setting off a standoff with President Nicolas Maduro.

The United States and other countries immediately recognised Guaido as president, while Maduro accuses opponents of staging a coup.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Maduro to protect the US embassy, hours before an expulsion deadline by the president no longer recognised by Washington.

“Let me be 100 per cent clear — President Trump and I fully expect that our diplomats will continue to receive protections provided under the Vienna Convention,” Sec. Pompeo told a special UN Security Council session on Venezuela.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo votes at a United Nations Security Council meeting on Venezuela. Picture: AFP

“Do not test the United States on our resolve to protect our people.”

The United States barely survived a procedural vote to go ahead with the UN Security Council meeting it called on the crisis in Venezuela.

The US received the minimum nine “yes” votes to hold Saturday’s meeting on the situation in Venezuela, with four countries voting “no” and two abstaining.

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia. Picture: AFP

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia opposed the meeting, saying Venezuela does not represent a threat to international peace and security.

Instead, he said, the country is facing a US effort “to attempt a coup d’etat in the country.”