U.S. holds back recognition for Venezuela's Maduro
- 11 years ago
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry tells a Congressional panel that the US is holding back recognition of Venezuela's leftist President-elect Nicolas Maduro.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY SAYING:
"I can't give you a yes or no answer on that because we think there ought to be a recount, I don't know if its going to happen in the next days. They are talking about having an inauguration on Friday, obviously if there are huge irregularities we are going to have serious questions about the viability of that government, but that evaluation needs to be made and I haven't made it yet."
The razor-thin victory by Maduro, the hand picked successor of the former President Hugo Chavez, has been rejected by his rival, Henrique Capriles, who is alleging voting irregularities and calling for an audit of the ballots.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY SAYING:
"I can't give you a yes or no answer on that because we think there ought to be a recount, I don't know if its going to happen in the next days. They are talking about having an inauguration on Friday, obviously if there are huge irregularities we are going to have serious questions about the viability of that government, but that evaluation needs to be made and I haven't made it yet."
The razor-thin victory by Maduro, the hand picked successor of the former President Hugo Chavez, has been rejected by his rival, Henrique Capriles, who is alleging voting irregularities and calling for an audit of the ballots.