US Vice President Mike Pence has urged the European Union to recognise Venezuelan congress leader Juan Guaido as the president of the South American country.
Pence made the remarks in a speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, pressing not just individual European governments but the bloc as a whole.
The US vice president also said Guaido, who has declared himself interim leader, has won US and international support to replace Nicolas Maduro.
He said Guaido deserved that “the rest of the world” recognise him. Pence also called Maduro a dictator who must step down.
“It is time for the rest of the world to step forward. Once more the old world can take a stand in support of freedom in the new world," Pence said.
"Today we call on the European Union to step forward for freedom and recognise Juan Guaido as the only legitimate president of Venezuela,” he added.