The United States is not yet ready to recognize Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela’s new president narrowly elected in disputed weekend elections, the top US diplomat John Kerry said Wednesday.
“We think there ought to be a recount. I don’t know whether it’s going to happen in the next days,” Kerry told US lawmakers, appearing before them for the first time since becoming secretary of state.
Maduro, the designated political heir of the late leftist president Hugo Chavez, who died last month, defeated opposition leader Henrique Capriles by just 1.7 percentage points in Sunday’s vote.
Kerry told the House foreign affairs committee that if “there are huge irregularities, we’re going to have serious questions about the viability of that government.
“But that evaluation has to be made, and I haven’t made it yet.”
He also said it was doubtful the United States would send a delegation to Maduro’s swearing-in ceremony set for Friday.
“If it’s under contested circumstances, I’d be very doubtful of that,” Kerry told the committee.
US won't recognize Venezuela's Maduro yet: Kerry
