Changes

From early January 2019, [[Venezuela]] has been experiencing a Presidential crisis, with unclear leadership and terms of [[President of Venezuela|Presidency]].

From early January 2019, [[Venezuela]] has been experiencing a Presidential crisis, with unclear leadership and terms of [[President of Venezuela|Presidency]].

Despite encouragement to resign as president when his first term expired on 10 January 2019, [[Nicolás Maduro]] inaugurated himself. This resulted in widespread condemnation, the National Assembly invoking a State of emergency, and nations removing their embassies from Venezuela. With their belief that his election was illegitimate, they claimed that by retaking power, Maduro was converting Venezuela into an illegal ''[[de facto]]'' dictatorship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics/venezuelas-maduro-starts-new-term-as-u-s-decries-him-as-usurper-idUSKCN1P40DH?il=0|website=Reuters|title=Venezuela's Maduro starts new term, as US describes him as "usurper"|accessdate=10 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/mundo/alemania-apoya-para-que-asuma-poder_265634|title=Alemania apoya para que asuma poder|trans-title=Germany supports Assembly taking power off Maduro|website=El Nacional|accessdate=10 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/peru-paraguay-recall-diplomats-maduro-inauguration-190110180310100.html|title=Peru, Paraguay, etc. recall diplomats after Maduro inauguration|website=Al Jazeera|accessdate=10 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asambleanacional.gob.ve/noticias/_an-se-declara-en-emergencia-ante-la-usurpacion-de-nicolas-maduro-en-el-cargo-de-la-presidencia-de-la|title=National Assembly declares State of Emergency with the usurpation of Maduro as President|website=Asamblea Nacional|accessdate=10 January 2019}}</ref>

Despite encouragement to resign as president when his first term expired on 10 January 2019, [[Nicolás Maduro]] inaugurated himself. This resulted in widespread condemnation, the National Assembly invoking a State of emergency, and nations removing their embassies from Venezuela. With their belief that his election was illegitimate, they claimed that by retaking power, Maduro was converting Venezuela into an illegal ''[[de facto]]'' dictatorship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics/venezuelas-maduro-starts-new-term-as-u-s-decries-him-as-usurper-idUSKCN1P40DH?il=0|website=Reuters|title=Venezuela's Maduro starts new term, as US describes him as "usurper"|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/mundo/alemania-apoya-para-que-asuma-poder_265634|title=Alemania apoya para que asuma poder|trans-title=Germany supports Assembly taking power off Maduro|website=El Nacional|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/peru-paraguay-recall-diplomats-maduro-inauguration-190110180310100.html|title=Peru, Paraguay, etc. recall diplomats after Maduro inauguration|website=Al Jazeera|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asambleanacional.gob.ve/noticias/_an-se-declara-en-emergencia-ante-la-usurpacion-de-nicolas-maduro-en-el-cargo-de-la-presidencia-de-la|title=National Assembly declares State of Emergency with the usurpation of Maduro as President|website=Asamblea Nacional|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Venezuela president recognition map 2019.svg|right|thumb|Map of what countries recognize as the Venezuelan government.

[[File:Venezuela president recognition map 2019.svg|right|thumb|Map of what countries recognize as the Venezuelan government.

{{legend|#000000|Venezuela}}

{{legend|#000000|Venezuela}}

{{legend|#5599FF|Support [[National Assembly (Venezuela)|National Assembly]]}}

{{legend|#5599FF|Support [[National Assembly (Venezuela)|National Assembly]]}}

{{legend|#ff0000|Recognize Maduro}}]]

{{legend|#ff0000|Recognize Maduro}}]]

[[Juan Guaidó]], the newly appointed [[President of the National Assembly of Venezuela]], began motions to form a [[transitional government]] as soon as he took the National Assembly role on 5 January 2019; whether Maduro took office on the 10th or not, the country would not have a legitimately elected president.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asambleanacional.gob.ve/noticias/_asamblea-nacional-arranca-proceso-para-ley-de-transicion|title=Asamblea Nacional arranca proceso para Ley de Transicion|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref> On behalf of the National Assembly, he became one of the first to denounce Maduro taking office, saying that the country had fallen into a ''[[de facto]]'' dictatorship and had no leader,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/f1df9924783f49859874f5fc97f0f534|title=Isolation greets Maduro's new term as Venezuela's president|last=Smith|first=Scott|date=2019-01-10|website=AP NEWS|access-date=2019-01-11}}</ref> and that they were in a state of emergency.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=http://www.asambleanacional.gob.ve/noticias/_an-se-declara-en-emergencia-ante-la-usurpacion-de-nicolas-maduro-en-el-cargo-de-la-presidencia-de-la|title="AN se declara en emergencia ante la usurpación de Nicolás Maduro en el cargo de la Presidencia de la República"|last=|first=|date=|website=www.asambleanacional.gob.ve|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref>

[[Juan Guaidó]], the newly appointed [[President of the National Assembly of Venezuela]], began motions to form a [[transitional government]] as soon as he took the National Assembly role on 5 January 2019; whether Maduro took office on the 10th or not, the country would not have a legitimately elected president.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asambleanacional.gob.ve/noticias/_asamblea-nacional-arranca-proceso-para-ley-de-transicion|title=Asamblea Nacional arranca proceso para Ley de Transicion|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref> On behalf of the National Assembly, he became one of the first to denounce Maduro taking office, saying that the country had fallen into a ''[[de facto]]'' dictatorship and had no leader,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/f1df9924783f49859874f5fc97f0f534|title=Isolation greets Maduro's new term as Venezuela's president|last=Smith|first=Scott|date=2019-01-10|website=AP NEWS|access-date=2019-01-11}}</ref> and that they were in a state of emergency.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=http://www.asambleanacional.gob.ve/noticias/_an-se-declara-en-emergencia-ante-la-usurpacion-de-nicolas-maduro-en-el-cargo-de-la-presidencia-de-la|title="AN se declara en emergencia ante la usurpación de Nicolás Maduro en el cargo de la Presidencia de la República"|website=www.asambleanacional.gob.ve|access-date=10 January 2019}}</ref>

Maduro's government states that the crisis is a "''[[coup d'état]]'' led by the United States to remove him from power and control the country's oil reserves."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.presidencia.gob.ve/Site/Web/Principal/paginas/classMostrarEvento3.php?id_evento=12708|title=WEB MPPDPSGG (Noticia)|website=www.presidencia.gob.ve|access-date=2019-03-02|archive-date=2019-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131040106/http://www.presidencia.gob.ve/Site/Web/Principal/paginas/classMostrarEvento3.php?id_evento=12708|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Maduro's government states that the crisis is a "''[[coup d'état]]'' led by the United States to remove him from power and control the country's oil reserves."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.presidencia.gob.ve/Site/Web/Principal/paginas/classMostrarEvento3.php?id_evento=12708|title=WEB MPPDPSGG (Noticia)|website=www.presidencia.gob.ve|access-date=2019-03-02|archive-date=2019-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131040106/http://www.presidencia.gob.ve/Site/Web/Principal/paginas/classMostrarEvento3.php?id_evento=12708|url-status=dead}}</ref>

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{{Multistub|politics|history}}