Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Sep 17, 2025

Venezuela's opposition unwilling to back interim Guaido government for 2023

Venezuela's opposition unwilling to back interim Guaido government for 2023

Venezuela's opposition parties have warned they are likely to withdraw backing for Juan Guaido's Washington-endorsed interim government in 2023, four people familiar with the matter said, raising questions about the future of the country's overseas holdings.
Guaido has been the public face of the country's opposition since the United States and many other governments rejected President Nicolas Maduro's 2018 re-election as a sham.

But most opposition representatives visiting Washington this week told U.S. officials they would not continue backing him or anyone else as their leader for another year of interim government.

Instead, they want to focus on choosing a candidate to compete against Maduro or whoever represents the government in the next election, tentatively scheduled for late 2023 or 2024.

Guaido in 2019 invoked the constitution to assume a rival presidency. But to the frustration of many Venezuelans, he has failed to dislodge Maduro, who has maintained a grip on power backed by the military and allies Russia, China, Cuba and Iran.

Guaido's loss of leadership would spell trouble for the parliament-appointed boards that supervise Venezuela's overseas companies, including Houston-based oil refiner Citgo Petroleum, considered the crown jewel of Venezuela's international assets.

U.S. courts have recognized the legitimacy of those boards based on the recognition of Guaido as leader.

Venezuelan opposition representatives who attended the meetings in Washington and a spokesperson for Citgo did not immediately provide a comment.

The U.S. State Department said it recognized Guaido and coordinates with his administration "on the steps needed to move forward on a negotiated solution that leads to the restoration of democracy to Venezuela."

In an interview with CNN on Friday, Guaido said the U.S. administration "ratified one more time" its backing for his government, without providing details on timing, and that according to the Venezuelan constitution his tenure must last until a presidential election takes place.

The potential upheaval comes as U.S. President Joe Biden's government focuses on global energy security following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and efforts to curb its energy exports.

Five of six opposition-party representatives told State Department officials on Tuesday they would not support Guaido or any other interim leader, the four sources said. Guaido's party Voluntad Popular was the only one in favor of a continuation.

But Washington - which has signaled it could ease sanctions on Venezuela if Maduro returns to talks with the opposition in Mexico and takes steps toward holding free elections - had not yet taken a clear position on the matter, the sources added.

A similar move by opposition leaders to ditch Guaido last year was scrapped at the last minute following lawyers' warnings over the foreign assets, which have long lists of creditors seeking to seize them over expropriation claims.

Lawyers and other experts have differing opinions on Venezuela's constitutional path to form and maintain an interim government, a situation complicated by the fact that the term of the parliament that appointed Guaido expired at the end of 2020.

U.S.-based Chevron (CVX.N) has asked Washington to relax sanctions on Venezuela to allow it to expand its heavily restricted oil operations there. U.S. officials are considering Chevron's request, but no decision has been made, according to people familiar with the matter. read more

Under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, the United States recognized Guaido as rightful leader in January 2019, and dozens of other countries followed suit. Many of those governments have since backtracked.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Hong Kong Industry Group Calls for HK$20 Billion Support Fund to Ease Property Market Stress
Joe Biden’s Post-Presidency Speaking Fees Face Weak Demand amid Corporate Reluctance
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
×