Until now, the US and other countries said Gonzalez had won more votes than incumbent leader Nicolas Maduro in the disputed July vote, but stopped short of recognizing him as “president-elect.”

The U.S. government recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González as the "president-elect" of the South American country on Tuesday, months after President Nicolas Maduro claimed to have won the July contest.

The United States said Tuesday it recognizes opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as president-elect of Venezuela -- the first time it called him that -- four months after a disputed election in which incumbent Nicolas Maduro claimed victory amid accusations of fraud.