UK government recognises Guaido as Venezuela's president in gold dispute, judge rules

FILE PHOTO: Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who many nations have recognised as the country's rightful interim ruler, gestures as he speaks during a rally in Caracas, Venezuela, March 10, 2020. REUTERS/Manaure Quintero/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - A London court ruled on Thursday that the British government recognizes Juan Guaido as Venezuela's president, instead of Nicolas Maduro, in a case to decide which leader controls $2 billion worth of Venezuelan central bank gold stored in the Bank of England.

The British government "has unequivocally recognised Mr. Guaido as President of Venezuela. It necessarily follows that (it) no longer recognises Mr. Maduro as President of Venezuela," the judge wrote in his ruling following a trial last week.