U.S. tells European Union to recognise Guaido as Venezuela president

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who many nations have recognized as the country's rightful interim ruler, speaks during a meeting with representatives of the oil sector in Caracas, Venezuela, February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Manaure Quintero NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

MUNICH (Reuters) - The European Union must recognise Venezuelan congress leader Juan Guaido as the president of the South American country, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday, pressing not just individual European governments but the bloc as a whole.

In a speech at the Munich Security Conference, Pence said Guaido, who has declared himself interim leader and has won U.S. and international support to replace Nicolas Maduro, deserved that "the rest of the world" recognise him, and called Maduro a dictator who must step down.