Trump expresses 'full support' for Venezuela’s opposition leader Guaido

US President Donald Trump has described the Venezuela’s opposition leader as the legitimate president of Venezuela, further expressing his support for Juan Guaido, who had been at daggers-drawn with the country’s democratically-elected President Nicolas Maduro in a yearslong political stalemate.

Trump made the remarks during his State of the Union address with the presence of the Venezuela’s opposition leader.

The US President described Guaido as “the true and legitimate president of Venezuela” and promised that Maduro’s “grip on tyranny will be smashed and broken.”

Trump later met with Guaido at the White House on Wednesday, with his office issuing a statement saying that the meeting "was a historic discussion about how we can work together with our partners in the region to achieve a democratic transition in Venezuela."

Maduro was once again accused of being “an illegitimate ruler, a tyrant who brutalizes his people”.

Guaido wrote on Twitter after the meeting that he was working together with the Washington "for the freedom of Venezuela."

"We appreciate the firm and clear fight from the US government together with the Venezuelan people and our region," he tweeted.

Trump’s meeting with the Venezuela’s opposition leader comes as the US president needs support in voter-rich South Florida, home to America’s largest community of Venezuelan immigrants, many of whom oppose President Maduro.

The US has backed Guaido as part of its efforts to topple the rule of Maduro, whom Trump calls a “socialist dictator who has destroyed his oil-rich nation’s once-vibrant economy.”

Guaido pushed the oil-rich Latin American country into political turmoil by rejecting the results of the 2018 presidential election after President Maduro won nearly 70% of the vote.

He later declared himself “interim president” and was immediacy recognized by the Trump administration.

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In addition to sanctions, the Trump administration has tried to pressure Maduro’s foreign allies, including Cuba and Russia, to withdraw their support.

Robert C. O’Brien, Trump’s national security adviser warned Wednesday that the United States could impose sanctions on Russia’s state-owned oil company, Rosneft, one of several energy giants with ties to Maduro’s government.

A Trump official speaking on the condition of anonymity also said that other energy companies that do business with the Maduro government, including Chevron, should be on notice, saying that “the Trump administration is halfway through its maximum pressure campaign on Maduro.”

Maduro: Trump descended into madness

After Trump-Guaido White House meeting, Maduro released a statement condemning Trump’s “interventionist expressions.”

Trump has descended into "madness" with support from his "puppet" Guaido, Maduro said in a speech broadcast on radio and television.

Madruo called on the "honest sectors" in the United States to halt Trump's "interventionist, illegal and immoral" policies that are leading to a "high level conflict" against Venezuela.

He warned that Trump is "taking the United States towards a high-level conflict with Venezuela."

The government also hit out at Guaido, denouncing the "shameful complicity of those dedicated to selling their homeland for humiliating crumbs tossed to them by their boss, Mr Trump."

US Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said that Guaido’s White House visit was an indication of the weakness of Trump's foreign policy.

Schumer acknowledged that Maduro was now more deeply entrenched than a year ago.

“If the policy was working, Juan Guaido wouldn't be in the balcony here. He'd be in Venezuela," Schumer said. "He'd be sitting in the president's palace, or at least waging a fight to win."

Venezuela has been in political turmoil since US-backed Guaido declared himself “interim president” in January.

The Trump administration has imposed a raft of sanctions against the Maduro government in an attempt to remove him from power, putting the country’s economy on the verge of recession.

Maduro, however, has remained in power, with the army refusing to side with Guaido.

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