Caracas Compares EU Ultimatum for New Elections to Actions of Colonial Powers

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza on Sunday rejected an ultimatum from several EU countries to call fresh elections within eight days, stressing that they were acting like "colonial powers."

"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela strongly rejects the statement by the European Union from January 26, which has confirmed its decision to join the coup d'etat, orchestrated by the US government, bearing in mind the attempt to give Venezuela the ultimatum reminiscent of the style of colonial powers," Arreaza said on Twitter.

La República Bolivariana de Venezuela expresa su rechazo a la declaración de la Unión Europea, que confirma su decisión de sumarse al Golpe de Estado orquestado por EEUU, pretendiendo incluso dar un ultimátum al Estado venezolano al estilo de las viejas potencias coloniales: pic.twitter.com/F5QhvW6hTY

— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) January 27, 2019

Earlier, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain issued an ultimatum to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, saying that he had eight days to organize elections or they would recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim president. The Netherlands has also supported the ultimatum.

On Wednesday, Guaido, the head of Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared himself the country's interim president in a move that had been recognized by the United States and a number of other countries.

Russia, Mexico, Uruguay and other states, on their part, have expressed support for Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president, with Moscow expressing readiness to act as a mediator in the conflict between the government and the opposition.