Ruling leftist SYRIZA supports the “legitimate president” of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, a party official said on Thursday, following a planned meeting with the country’s Ambassador to Greece Farid Fernandez.



“SYRIZA expresses its full support and solidarity with the legitimate President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, after yesterday's move by opposition leader and president of the National Assembly of the country Juan Guaido, to declare himself the interim President of the country, thus challenging the result of last May's presidential election,” said Panos Skourletis, the secretary of SYRIZA’s central committee.



The meeting in Athens comes after big anti-government demonstrations across Venezuela on Wednesday, when at least seven protesters were reported killed.



The United States and 10 other countries have recognized Guaido as the legitimate president.