Democracy demands respect for the will of the voters,’ said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. ‘This gesture honors the desire for change of our people,’ replied the exiled former diplomat

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday called Venezuela's Edmundo Gonzalez the country's "president-elect" for the first time, signaling that Washington wants to step up pressure on incumbent President Nicolas Maduro.

The United States said Tuesday it recognizes opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as president-elect of Venezuela -- the first time it called him that -- four months after a disputed election in which incumbent Nicolas Maduro claimed victory amid accusations of fraud.

Until now, the US and other countries said Gonzalez had won more votes than incumbent leader Nicolas Maduro in the disputed July vote, but stopped short of recognizing him as “president-elect.”

US recognizes Venezuela's opposition candidate Edmundo González as 'president-elect' months after Maduro claims victory