The United States has formally recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the country’s president-elect following the disputed July 28 presidential election, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Tuesday on X.

The Biden administration is beginning to refer to Edmundo González Urrutia as Venezuela’s president-elect, a senior administration official said, its strongest acknowledgment yet that the opposition candidate won July’s presidential election.

The US on Tuesday recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the "president-elect" of the South American country, marking the first acknowledgement since the July election in which President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory.