Israel’s far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has joined the United States, Canada, and several Latin American and European states in granting diplomatic recognition to the self-declared, pro-imperialist leadership in Venezuela in place of recently reelected socialist President Nicolas Maduro. On Sunday, January 27, Netanyahu announced in a short statement that he is recognizing the opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, as the country’s interim president.
![President Maduro and Venezuelan army officers Sunday, January 27, during their country's Bicentenario de Angostura 2019 military maneuvers](http://maki.org.il/en/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/2019-01-29-1024x683.jpg)
President Maduro and Venezuelan army officers Sunday, January 27, during their country’s Bicentenario de Angostura 2019 military maneuvers (Photo: Agencia Venezolana de Noticias)
Slamming Netanyahu for his decision to recognize Guaidó as interim president in Venezuela, leading Communist activist MK Aida Touma-Sleiman (Hadash-Joint List) said, “It isn’t surprising that Netanyahu will align himself with any operation, however contemptible, to replace the government there with a right-wing pro-imperialistic one that will serve the interests of US President Donald Trump and his allies.”
France’s President Emmanuel Macron has also given his backing to Venezuela’s self-declared interim president, saying last year’s re-election of Maduro “was illegitimate.” Today, Tuesday, January 29, a protest will be held in front of the French Consulate in Haifa (37, Hagefen Street) starting at 7 pm under the slogan “Fuera Trump, Viva Venezuela” sponsored by the Haifa branch of the Communist Party of Israel (CPI).
Last Friday, January 25, the Central Committee of the CPI issued a statement condemning the blatant, US-led coup attempt in Venezuela.