Brazil recognizes Guaido as Venezuela's interim president

Brazil's government recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as acting president of Venezuela on Wednesday and said in a statement it will provide political and economic support for its neighbor's transition back to democracy.

Backed by hundreds of thousands of protesters and the support of the United States, Guaido declared himself interim president and called for free elections to end the rule of socialist President Nicolas Maduro. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle Editing by Alistair Bell)