European powers ready to recognize Venezuela's Guaido

Major European countries threw their weight behind Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido on Saturday saying they would recognize him as interim president if Nicolas Maduro failed to call elections within eight days, Reuters reports.

Britain, Germany, France and Spain all said they would recognize Guaido unless fresh elections were announced.

Venezuela has sunk into turmoil under Maduro with food shortages and daily protests amid an economic and political crisis that has sparked mass emigration and inflation that is seen rising to 10 million percent this year.

Maduro cruised to re-election in May last year amid low turnout and allegations of vote-buying by the government. The domestic opposition, the United States and right leaning Latin American governments declined to recognize the result of the vote.