Venezuela parliament elects Guaido's rival Parra as new speaker
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has endorsed the election of legislator Luis Parra, a rival to opposition figure Juan Guaido, as the speaker of parliament.
In a televised speech on Sunday, the president said, "the national assembly has made a decision,” and "kicked out” US-backed Guaido from parliament.
Parra was sworn-in as the new speaker of the National Assembly, while security forces prevented Guaido and allied lawmakers from entering the building.
Guaido was seen clashing with security forces to enter the parliament. He also attempted to climb over the railing around the National Assembly premises to gain entry. Security forces, however, pushed him back with riot shields.
That prompted Guaido and his allied lawmakers to hold their own election for chief of Congress at a newspaper office. Hours after Parra was sworn in, Guaido claimed that he was re-elected as speaker in that vote.
Guaido, who took an oath of office in that session, said that security forces allowed only those politicians and opposition deputies, who are critical of him, to enter parliament.
Parra, however, said the parliamentary session was opened without Guaido because he had not arrived.
Guaido also vowed to "enforce" the constitution in his role as parliament speaker and "acting president" as well.
He had already pushed the country into political turmoil by rejecting the outcome of the May 2018 presidential election, which Maduro won and declared himself interim president.
The United States has also backed him, confiscated all Venezuelan state property in America, and has hinted at the use of force to install Guaido.
In the wake of the parliamentary vote on Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington recognized Guaido as the “president of the Venezuelan National Assembly.”
"The United States and 57 other countries continue to regard him [Guaido] as the legitimate leader of the National Assembly and thus the legitimate interim president of Venezuela.” said Pompeo.
Venezuela's opposition said Parra's election was a "parliamentary coup."
Parra, a former Guido ally, fell out with him last year after being accused of corruption.
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