Guaido has lobbied for a boycott of the December AN elections and called on opposition figures to join a "unitary path" to oust the Maduro government which would extend his "interim presidency" into 2021.
However, other anti-government politicians have refused to rally behind him, with some urging voters to take to the polls, and hardline figures such as Maria Corina Machado calling for a foreign intervention.
For its part, Washington downplayed talk of a possible military intervention, with the Trump administration's Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams criticizing opposition leaders "who only think that the magic moment of a military intervention will arrive" in a recent interview.
However, the veteran official, who is known for his role in the Iraq war and the Reagan administration's Central America policy, has reiterated that the US will continue supporting Guaido while tightening sanctions against the Venezuelan economy.
[UPDATE] The Trump administration doubled down on its opposition to the upcoming elections by sanctioning National Electoral Council (CNE) President Indira Alfonzo on Friday. Also sanctioned were fellow CNE rector Jose Gutierrez Parra, Solicitor General Reinaldo Munoz Pedroza and former Anzoategui Governor David De Lima. Any assets held by the officials in the United States are now blocked.
A Treasury Department statement argued that the four are part of an "election interference scheme to prevent free and fair parliamentary elections." The statement goes on to accuse De Lima of taking part in a scheme to buy deputy votes which allegedly led to Guaido losing the AN presidency in January.
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