WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund is still awaiting guidance from its member countries on whether to recognize Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s legitimate head of state, IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said on Thursday.

Rice, speaking at a regular news briefing, said that official recognition would be required first step before any IMF financing program to aid Venezuela could be designed. Despite a growing number of countries recognizing Guaido’s leadership, he said the IMF was still waiting for a consensus.

“I think countries are still establishing their positions in terms of recognition,” Rice said. “We’re watching that closely and we will be guided by the membership once we feel -- and they feel -- that there’s an established view with which they could guide us.”