Spain and Britain on Monday became the latest nations to recognise Venezuela’s opposition chief Juan Guaido as interim leader after President Nicolas Maduro defiantly rejected an ultimatum by European countries to call snap elections.

Already recognised by the US, Canada, Australia and several Latin American countries, Guaido is trying to force the socialist leader from power so he can set up a transitional government and hold new elections in the oil-rich but impoverished country.

After announcing the Spanish government’s official recognition of Guaido, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged the 35-year-old National Assembly head to “call elections as soon as possible, elections that have to be free and democratic”.

Sanchez added he wanted to spearhead a plan of humanitarian aid for Venezuela in the EU and UN.

UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jeremy Hunt promptly followed suit.

“UK alongside European allies now recognises @jguaido as interim constitutional president until credible elections can be held. Let’s hope this takes us closer to ending humanitarian crisis,” he said on Twitter.

Seven EU states had given Maduro a Sunday midnight deadline to call presidential elections or they would recognise Guaido.

But in an interview with Spanish television station Sexta broadcast on Sunday evening, Maduro said he would not “cave in to pressure” from those calling for his departure.

“Why does the EU have to tell a country in the world that has already had elections that it has to repeat its presidential elections, because they were not won by their right-wing allies,” said Maduro, interviewed in Caracas.

“They are trying to corner us with ultimatums to force us into an extreme situation of confrontation,” Maduro said.

However, he supported plans for a meeting of Latin American and EU states in a “Contact Group” meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay next Thursday.

And he called on Guaido for “face-to-face” talks, which the latter has already rejected.

Humanitarian crisis

Under Maduro’s stewardship, oil-dependent Venezuela has lurched into an economic crisis that has left the country suffering from hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine.

The situation has long been denounced by the opposition and Guaido stunned the world on January 23 when he declared himself acting president at a rally, declaring Maduro’s presidency “illegitimate” and founded on flawed elections.

He began to exercise authority for the first time this weekend, calling on the army to allow in humanitarian aid to a nation wracked by economic crisis.

Guaido is expected to announce a date for the arrival of humanitarian aid from the US – a path Maduro believes will lead to a US-led military intervention.

Guaido says up to 300,000 people are “at risk of death” in Venezuela for want of humanitarian aid.

In Washington, US President Donald Trump warned that military intervention remains “an option” for dealing with the crisis in Venezuela.

All eyes are now on Venezuela’s military, which has so far been Maduro’s main pillar of support, but there have been signs of unrest in the ranks.

Earlier on Sunday, Maduro addressed troops on military exercises in Venezuela’s coastal northeast, calling on them for “maximum cohesion” a day after a top Air Force general publicly sided with Guaido.

Tens of thousands of people turned out on Saturday for competing shows of support for Guaido and for Maduro who was sworn in on January 10 to a disputed second six-year term.

During the protest, Guaido announced the installation of collection centres for medicine and food – items lacking in Venezuela – in neighbouring Colombia and Brazil.

Speaking at a pro-regime demonstration marking 20 years since his predecessor Hugo Chavez came to power, Maduro reiterated his call to bring forward elections for the opposition-held national assembly.

Guaido has called for a new demonstration on February 12 and another protest to push for the entry of aid.