Juan Guaido, the president of the opposition-controlled Venezuelan parliament, declared himself an interim "president" Wednesday in front of tens of thousands of supporters gathered in Caracas to protest President Nicolas Maduro.
"I swear to formally assume the powers of the National Executive as President-in-Office of Venezuela to achieve (...) a transitional government and obtain free elections," said Juan Guaido from a rostrum.
Trump recognizes it. US President Donald Trump immediately announced that he was recognizing the 35-year-old opposition leader as the country's acting president. "Today, I officially recognize the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as interim president of Venezuela," he said in a statement.
At the same time, the Venezuelan Supreme Court, the country's highest jurisdiction, made up of adherents to the regime, ordered a criminal investigation against members of parliament, accusing them of usurping the prerogatives of President Maduro.
Opponents and supporters of President Nicolas Maduro have flocked to the streets Wednesday in the country, in a climate of high tension. Five people died in pre-protest disorders. For their part, supporters of the government, mostly dressed in red, found themselves in other parts of the capital to support the head of state and reject the claims of the opposition, they consider as a coup attempt orchestrated by Washington.