The United States has ramped up pressure on Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro by formally recognising opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the country's president-elect, marking the first time the Biden administration has used this designation since July's disputed election.

The U.S. government has recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González as the “president-elect” of the South American country, months after President Nicolás Maduro claimed to have won the July election.

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