The U.S. government has recognized Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González as the “president-elect” of the South American country, months after President Nicolás Maduro claimed to have won the July election.

Antony Blinken took a major step in changing geopolitical relations between the United States and Venezuela with this acknowledgment.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday called Venezuela's Edmundo Gonzalez the country's "president-elect" for the first time, signaling that Washington wants to step up pressure on incumbent President Nicolas Maduro.

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.”

Edmundo González Urrutia fled to Spain in September after incumbent President Nicolás Maduro claimed victory in a highly-disputed election earlier this year.