Trudeau and Trump elect Venezuela's new President

Venezuela's Opposition leader takes oath to be interim president, recognized by Canada, U.S.

Juan Guaido, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, has declared himself president. Canada and the U.S. say they are recognizing him in the role. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters)

Opposition Leader Juan Guaido took an oath swearing himself in as Venezuela's interim president on Wednesday as hundreds of thousands marched to demand the end of socialist leader Nicolas Maduro's government.

Guaido, head of the Opposition-run Congress, had said he would be willing to assume the presidency on an interim basis with the support of the armed forces to call elections.

Within minutes, Global Affairs confirmed Canada will recognize Guaido in the role. U.S. President Donald Trump issued a statement doing the same, and encouraging other Western governments to recognize Guaido as interim president.

A spokesman for Mexico's foreign ministry said Mexico does not plan to change its policy on Venezuela "for the time being."

Demonstrators clogged avenues in eastern Caracas, chanting "Get out, Maduro" and "Guaido, Presidente" while waving national flags. Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in several areas. A rally the night before reportedly left four people dead, an echo of tumultuous riots two years ago.

The Opposition has been energized by young congress chief Guaido, who has led a campaign to declare Maduro a usurper and has promised a transition to a new government in a nation suffering a hyperinflationary economic collapse.

Guaido, in a speech before a cheering crowd, took an oath swearing himself in as interim president.

"I swear to assume all the powers of the presidency to secure an end of the usurpation," he said.

He has said he would be willing to replace Maduro with the support of the military and to call free elections.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Maduro to step aside and urged the country's military to support efforts to restore democracy.

In a statement, Pompeo said Washington would support opposition leader Juan Guaido as he establishes a transitional government and prepares the country for elections.

"The Venezuelan people have suffered long enough under Nicolas Maduro's disastrous dictatorship," Pompeo said. "We call on Maduro to step aside in favor of a legitimate leader reflecting the will of the Venezuelan people."

The Trump administration told U.S. energy companies it could impose sanctions on Venezuelan oil as soon as this week if the political situation worsens, according to sources.

Maduro was inaugurated on Jan. 10 to another term in office following a widely boycotted election last year that many foreign governments described as a fraudulent. His government accuses Guaido of staging a coup and has threatened him with jail.

Armed forces
Any change in government in Venezuela will rest on a shift in allegiance within the armed forces, which has stood by Maduro through two waves of street protests and a steady dismantling of democratic institutions.

"We need freedom, we need this corrupt government to get out, we need to all unite, so that there is peace in Venezuela," said Claudia Olaizola, a 54-year-old salesperson near the march's centre in the eastern Chacao district, a traditional opposition bastion.

In a potent symbol of anger, demonstrators in the southern city of Puerto Ordaz on Tuesday toppled a statue of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, broke it in half and dangled part of it from a bridge.

A 16-year-old was shot to death at a protest on Tuesday in western Caracas, according to a rights group, Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict. Three people were shot dead on Tuesday night in southern Bolivar City during a looting of a grocery store that followed a nearby protest, Bolivar state Gov. Justo Noguera said in a telephone interview.

Maduro has presided over Venezuela's spiral into its worst-ever economic crisis. His re-election in 2018 was widely viewed as a sham due to widespread election irregularities.

"We've come out to support the Opposition and preserve the future of my son and my family, because we're going hungry," said Jose Barrientos, 31, an auto-parts salesperson in the poor west end of Caracas.

Editor's Note:
Despite the article above, here are photos taken today in the streets of Caracas. In case you miss the point, the colour red signifies that these people are supporters of Maduro and his legitimate government. You might want to consider that CBC News, along with the government of Canada, are Trump sycophants - truth no longer has any place in Canadian discourse.

- prh, ed.

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