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

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recognized González.

The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden previously said González earned the most votes in the disputed July 28 election but it had fallen short of acknowledging him as president-elect.

Venezuela’s National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared Maduro the election winner hours after polls closed. Unlike previous presidential elections, electoral authorities did not provide detailed vote counts.
“We deeply appreciate the recognition of the sovereign will of all Venezuelans,” González said after Blinken's statement Tuesday. “This gesture honors the desire for change of our people and the civic feat that we carried out together on July 28.”