The U.S. government officially recognized Edmundo González Urrutia as the president-elect of Venezuela on Tuesday, following the elections held on July 28 in the South American nation. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced this on social media, emphasizing that "the Venezuelan people spoke decisively on July 28 and selected Edmundo González as president-elect. Democracy demands respect for the voters' will," he stated.
While the Biden Administration had acknowledged González Urrutia as the election winner on August 1, it had not previously used the term "president-elect." This decision comes ahead of Nicolás Maduro's scheduled inauguration for a third term on January 10, 2024.
Despite allegations of fraud, public disapproval, and the lack of detailed results, Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Maduro re-elected. Contrarily, the opposition coalition, Democratic Unity Platform (PUD), presented records indicating González Urrutia's victory. González, currently in exile in Spain since September due to alleged political persecution by Venezuelan authorities, is at the center of this controversy.
According to a senior Biden Administration official, using the term "president-elect" does not equate to formal recognition of González Urrutia as Venezuela's president. Instead, it reflects the U.S. stance of acknowledging him as the election's rightful winner based on publicly available records.
González Urrutia, who has vowed to return to Venezuela for his presidential inauguration in January, expressed gratitude for the recognition, viewing it as support for the "sovereign will" of the Venezuelan people. On his X account, he stated, "We deeply appreciate the acknowledgment of the sovereign will of all Venezuelans. This gesture honors our people's desire for change and the civic movement we led together on July 28."
In 2019, then-President Donald Trump recognized Juan Guaidó as the country's legitimate leader, marking a significant shift in U.S. policy towards Venezuela.