Tirana, Albania | 25 jan 2019 (Tirana Echo) – Albania becomes the second European country after the UK to rally behind US President Donald Trump in recognizing Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s acting President, joining the ranks of several North and Latin American nations which have seized their support for discredited former President Nicolas Maduro.
Albania’s decision to recognize the legitimacy of Mr. Guaidó was announced yesterday by the country’s Prime Minister Edi Rama on Twitter.
“Albania recognizes Juan Guaidó as the Interim President of Venezuela. On behalf of the people of Albania I wish to @JGuaido and the brave Venezuelans to succeed in getting rid of the illegitimate power that has turned their country in a hell for its own people #VenezuelaLibre.” – wrote PM Rama on Twitter.
The decision ranks the small European nation alongside the USA, Canada, UK, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, Ecuador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama which have all seized to recognize Maduro as the legitimate leader of the impoverished Latin American country.
The mounting US led alliance of nations recognizing Guaido’s authority pushes against an eastern alliance made up by Russia, China and Turkey, which have warned the US to stay away from interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs.
The decision of Albanian PM comes after the Trump administration urged Latin American countries last Wednesday to stop their support for Mr. Maduro and align their countries with democracy, following a self-proclamation by opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s new acting President.
Later on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a special meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) that Maduro’s tyrannical regime is “morally bankrupt, economically incompetent and profoundly corrupt,” adding that the US had offered $20m USD for Mr. Guaidó’s interim efforts and protection.
Albania becomes the second European nation after the United Kingdom to condemn Mr. Maduro for forcefully staying in power through rigged elections and recognize Guaidó’s authority.
Yesterday, a spokesperson of UK Prime Minister Theresa May said the 2018 presidential election in Venezuela “was neither free nor fair, so the regime’s basis for power is deeply flawed. We fully support the democratically elected National Assembly with Juan Guaido as its President.”
Following Mr. Trump’s decision to recognize Mr. Guaidó on Wednesday, Mr. Maduro, enraged at Washington, announced that Venezuela would cut ties with the USA, ordering all its diplomats to leave the country within 72 hours.
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