Secretary of State Antony Blinken took a major step in changing geopolitical relations between the United States and Venezuela with this acknowledgment.

The U.S. government recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González as the "president-elect" of the South American country on Tuesday, months after President Nicolas Maduro claimed to have won the July contest.

The United States said Tuesday it recognises 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.