Request a red notice from Interpol… Guaido went into exile in the United States in April this year.
The Washington Post (WP) and Internet media outlet Axios reported on the 5th (local time) that the Venezuelan government has issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Juan Guaido, who fled to the United States. Venezuelan prosecutors said Guaidó embezzled funds from the state-run oil company for personal use.
In addition, Venezuelan prosecutors requested Interpol (International Criminal Organization) to issue a red notice for Guaido. A red notice is the highest level of international wanted action issued to a suspect of a serious crime for whom an arrest warrant has been issued.
Guaidó was once recognized as the legitimate president of Venezuela by 50 countries, including the United States.
He ran for president in 2019 while he was speaker of the National Assembly, but lost to President Nicolas Maduro, who was running for re-election. Guaidó disobeyed the results of the presidential election, declared himself interim president, and led anti-government protests.
After the arrest warrant was issued, Guaidó claimed, “The charges of treason, money laundering, and collusion for criminal purposes that the Nicolas Maduro dictatorship applied when issuing the warrant are false.”
Guaido fled to the United States last April and has been living in Miami, Florida.
Previously, the Venezuelan Congress voted in December last year to dissolve the provisional government, ending Guaido’s term as interim president.
The arrest warrant was issued just days ahead of the opposition party’s primary election to select a candidate to run against Maduro ahead of Venezuela’s presidential election next year. WP reported that the Maduro regime has been pursuing talks with the Joe Biden administration over the possibility of the United States lifting some sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector in exchange for a promise to hold a fair presidential election.
The United States has considered easing sanctions against the Maduro regime following a 2022 ban on Russian oil imports.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.