Juan Guaidó on Interim Presidency

Juan Guaidó established the Interim Government of Venezuela in January 2019, asserting the role of acting president based on his position as the democratically-elected President of the National Assembly and invoking the Venezuelan Constitution following the disputed 2018 election of Nicolás Maduro. This move garnered international recognition from nearly 60 countries, including the United States and many in Latin America and Europe, despite the government holding little actual power within Venezuela. He viewed the interim presidency as a necessary, constitutional, and internationally supported instrument to challenge Maduro's authoritarian rule and pave the way for free and fair presidential elections.

The interim presidency was ultimately dissolved by the opposition-controlled National Assembly in late December 2022, coming to an official end on January 5, 2023, following a vote by three of the four major opposition parties. This decision occurred amid waning domestic and international support, as well as increased normalization of relations between the Maduro regime and some regional governments. While the structure was dissolved, the National Assembly continued to recognize the 2015 legislature, and the United States stated it would no longer recognize Guaidó but also would not recognize Maduro. The interim government's primary accomplishments included managing international assets abroad, such as funds and the gold bullion in the Bank of England, and maintaining a political structure against repression.