UPDATE 1-Argentina says it supports Venezuelan opposition candidate at IADB

Argentina supports the candidate nominated by Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to represent the country at the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), a spokesman for Argentina's economy ministry told Reuters on Tuesday.

Guaido assumed the interim presidency in January after declaring President Nicolas Maduro's 2018 re-election a fraud. He has nominated economist Ricardo Hausmann to represent Venezuela at the IADB. Argentina's recognition of Hausmann adds to diplomatic pressure faced by Maduro to step down after months of political unrest. The United States said on Monday it will withdraw all remaining diplomatic personnel from Venezuela this week.

Venezuela is meanwhile grappling with a days-long electricity blackout that has crippled the OPEC member's oil exports and left millions of citizens struggling to find food and water. (Reporting by Gabriel Burin, writing by Hugh Bronstein Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Susan Thomas)

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