Venezuelan opposition leader declared himself president: Trump recognized him. VIDEO. A PHOTO

The head of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Juan Guaido, declared himself the interim president and took the oath. US President Donald Trump said he recognizes him as head of state, writes Air force.

Speaking to participants in a rally of thousands in Caracas, Guaido said that he was taking on presidential duties in order to “end the usurpation of power, form a transitional government and hold fair elections.”

Dramatic #drone footage from #Caracas, #Venezuela: It seems like the entire city was prostesting against Maduro's criminal regime. pic.twitter.com/xje4Ijdopo

- RalphGM (@RalphGMWorks) January 24, 2019

US President Donald Trump issued a statement in which he officially recognized Guayido as acting. head of state.

“The people of Venezuela bravely stood up to Maduro and his regime and demanded freedom and the rule of law,” the American president said in a statement.

Trump called Maduro an illegitimate president and said that the country's parliament is the only legitimate branch of government legally elected by the people of Venezuela.

The citizens of Venezuela have been illegitimate for the Maduro regime. Today, Ian Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of the Venezuela. https://t.co/WItWPiG9jK

- Donald J. Trump (@ realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2019

The Organization of American States (OAG), which unites the countries of North and South America, also recognized Juan Guaido as the country's new leader.

“Our congratulations to @jguaido as acting President of Venezuela. You have received our full recognition to begin the return of democracy in the country,” the organization’s secretary general, Luis Almagro, wrote on Twitter.

Nicholas Maduro, who stepped in for a second presidential term in January, broke off diplomatic relations with the United States on Wednesday, giving American 72 diplomats hours to leave the country.

Who is Juan Guaido?

Guaido, 35, was a relatively low-profile figure in Venezuelan politics until he took over as head of the National Assembly, Venezuela's opposition-controlled parliament, in January.

During his time in parliament, Guayido initiated an investigation into a number of corruption cases involving the Maduro administration.

After becoming a speaker, Guayido soon questioned the legitimacy of Maduro’s rule and declared that he had the constitutional right to take presidential power before the next election.

Guaido, an engineer by training, was a political activist in his student years. He led protests against the socialist government of Hugo Chávez.

His appointment as speaker of parliament gave the fragmented Venezuelan opposition an opportunity to unite.

How does Maduro react?

“Get out! Leave Venezuela. People here have dignity,” Reuters quoted Maduro as saying in an emotional address to American diplomatic delegations.

American diplomats have 72 hours to leave the country.

Maduro, who assumed his second presidential term in early January, called Donald Trump’s policies extremist and what was happening in the country as an attempt at an illegal coup.

Speaking to supporters in Caracas, Maduro demanded loyalty from the military.

“Listen to my command. Maximum loyalty, maximum unity, maximum discipline. We will win this battle together,” Agence France-Presse quotes Nicolas Maduro as saying.

Maduro won the presidential elections in Venezuela in May last year, but took the oath only in January of this year. For him, this is the second presidential term.

The opposition called for a boycott of the March elections, in which Maduro won, and the United States and some EU countries did not recognize the results of the vote.

The authorities of Colombia, Brazil and Peru also recognized Guaido as the president of Venezuela. Mexico responded by calling on Venezuelans to elect power through legal mechanisms.

The trial of parliament against the backdrop of protests

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan Supreme Court announced the launch of a criminal investigation against the country's opposition parliament.

In Venezuela, the third day, protests continue. According to local police and non-governmental organizations, at least four people died during demonstrations on Wednesday night.

The dead were reported to include a 16-year-old boy who was fatally shot during one of the demonstrations on Wednesday night.

Photos and videos appeared on social networks showing how the demonstrators set fire to the wooden statue of Hugo Chávez in the city of San Felix in the state of Bolívar.

se prendió la rumba esta noche #23Ene #24Ene #Caracas #Miranda #ParqueAlto #ElIngenio #Guatire #Petare #Catia #Venezuela pic.twitter.com/75keDB487h

— JOHNNY MOLOTOV?? (@JOHNNYMOLOTOV) January 24, 2019

According to the Venezuelan media, mass anti-government demonstrations on Wednesday should take place in many cities of the country.

A new wave of protests in Venezuela began on Monday, when the country's defense ministry reported an unsuccessful attempt at military rebellion in the capital, Caracas.

Another video from Caracas of people demonstrating against the Venezuelan president #Venezuela protest pic.twitter.com/E8IHTHs4bf

- Peter Moore (@ bd504840) January 24, 2019

The authorities reported the arrest of an 27 man in an attempted uprising.

Earlier on Wednesday, US Vice President Mike Pence published a video message on Twitter to Venezuelans, in which he called Maduro a dictator who has no legitimate rights to power, and said that Washington supports the country's opposition-minded parliament and its leader.

I would say: estamos con ustedes. We are with you. It has been restored. pic.twitter.com/ThzIAqBoRn

- Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) January 22, 2019

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez reacted to Pence's speech with the phrase: “Yankee go home.”

Meanwhile, the ruling Socialist Party also called on its supporters to take to the streets to prevent a coup in the country.

How to react in Russia

Russian politicians and government officials interviewed by journalists speak out disapprovingly about what is happening in Caracas, accusing the US of supporting the coup in a sovereign state.

“About Venezuela: very rude and destructive. Now it’s Caracas’ turn,” said Leonid Slutsky, head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.

“This is another forceful imposition of American hegemony and the destruction of unwanted regimes,” he added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on Russians in Venezuela to avoid crowded places.

Deputy head of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov believes that “a complete disgrace” is happening in Venezuela.

“I think there is no reason to recognize this person (Guaido - BBC note). He lost the election. We recognized and congratulated Mr. Maduro; the inauguration took place just recently. Therefore, I don’t think that we can admit this - this is, in essence, a coup,” Dzhabarov told Interfax.

“It’s hard to imagine a more monstrous example of interference in internal affairs, ignoring all legal norms, international law norms,” commented Dmitry Novikov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.

Read also on ForumDaily:

The wall will be completed - crime will decrease: Trump called for prayer for a wall on the border

Where to retire in the US to save $ 10 thousand per year

Amazon, Apple and more 13 leading job openings from $ 100,000

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.