The President (Speaker) of the Venezuelan National Assembly and leader of the majority party (Democratic Unity Roundtable) is Juan Guaido. With the support of President Trump and leaders of the European Union, he has endorsed as interim president of Venezuela.

Today, I am officially recognizing the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela.  In its role as the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the Venezuelan people, the National Assembly invoked the country’s constitution to declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate, and the office of the presidency therefore vacant.

Speaker of the House

Visibly Trump is no expert in constitutional matters. The position of speaker of the National Assembly held by Juan Guaido (from a constitutional standpoint) is  identical to that of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives and the leader of the majority party which is currently held by Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

Nancy Pelosi is second in line to the US presidential line of succession, after Vice President Mike Pence.(25th Amendment of Constitution and 3 USC 19, a section of the U.S. Code, established as part of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947).

Similarly, Juan Guaido, is second in the line of succession of the President of Venezuela after the Vice President, as stated in Article 233 of the Venezuelan constitution. Similarly, the National Assembly is controlled by the majority Democratic Unity Roundtable.

By endorsing a procedure which proclaims Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela, Trump has opened a Pandora’s box. While his decision borders on ridicule, it could potentially backlash on his presidency.

The presidential succession procedures in Venezuela are identical those in the US.

Juan Guaido is to Venezuela what Nancy Pelosi is  to the United States. The opposition to president Maduro controls the National Assembly. The opposition to president Trump controls the House of Representatives.

Theater of the Absurd? Imagine for a moment what would happen if a US politician or the president of a foreign country were to demand that Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House of Representatives and majority leader of the House were to be confirmed as interim President of the US, to the detriment of President Trump.