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Nicolás Maduro celebrates the 61st anniversary of the end of the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez on 23 January 2019 in Caracas. Miraflores Palace / Handout via REUTERS

Donald Trump recognizes Juan Guaidó as the "interim president" of Venezuela. Announcement made Wednesday, January 23, 2019 by a statement from the White House. As official as it is unusual, the text of the US presidency was released shortly after the young opponent's self-proclamation against Nicolás Maduro.

With our correspondent in the United States, Eric de Salve

" I officially recognize the Speaker of the National Assembly Juan Guaidó as President of Venezuela. A written statement by Donald Trump calling on all Western countries to do the same.

According to the US president, this assembly, controlled by the opposition since 2015 and in competition with a pro-Chavist Constituent since 2017, " is the only legitimate branch of the government elected by the people ".

Donald Trump welcomes the decision to declare Nicolás Maduro illegitimate. Decision that makes the office of the president vacant, he writes. Venezuelans " have been suffering for too long, " laments the American number one.

The citizens of Venezuela have suffered for a long time at the hands of the illegitimate Maduro regime. Today, I have officially recognized the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela. https://t.co/WItWPiG9jK

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

" I will continue to use all the economic and diplomatic power of the United States for the restoration of Venezuelan democracy ," reads the White House press release.

Will the United States go to a possible military support, threat already brandished in the past by the president? " We have not planned anything," says Trump, " but all options are on the table. "

For his part, Mike Pompeo, the head of the American diplomacy, calls the Venezuelan army to protect the democracy and the civil population. And Vice President Pence calls on Twitter to restore libertad .

Caracas' response immediately flared up. Venezuela breaks diplomatic relations with the United States. Nicolás Maduro gave the American diplomats 72 hours to leave the country.