The U.S. government has officially recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo González as the president-elect of Venezuela, contradicting the recent declaration of President Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the contested July elections. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the need to respect the will of the Venezuelan people. González's supporters claim he received twice as many votes as Maduro, despite the electoral council largely favoring Maduro. This recognition has been met with previous disapproval from nations about the election's transparency. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has recently reversed his initial support for the elections, calling them a mistake.