The Trump administration ratcheted up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday, signaling potential new sanctions against the country’s vital oil sector as it recognized Venezuela’s opposition leader as interim president. Juan Guaido, President of Venezuela’s National Assembly, greets supporters during a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government and to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the end of the dictatorship of Marcos Perez Jimenez in Caracas, Venezuela January 23, 2019. With street protests against Maduro under way across Venezuela, President Donald Trump said the United States recognized Juan Guaido, head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly congress, as the country’s leader and called socialist Maduro’s government “illegitimate.” In response, Maduro said he was breaking diplomatic relations with the United States and giving U.S. embassy personnel 72 hours to leave Venezuela. The United States, however, rejected Maduro’s move to cut ties, saying it […]