Venezuela issues arrest warrant for US-based former opposition leader Juan Guaido

Venezuelan authorities have issued an arrest warrant against former opposition leader Juan Guaido, the country’s attorney general said, Report informs, citing CNN.

During a press conference in the capital Caracas, Attorney General Tarek William Saab told journalists Guaido used the state-owned oil company PDVSA’s resources to finance himself and pay his legal expenses.

“Juan Guaido used PDVSA resources to finance himself, pay his legal expenses, and forced PDVSA to accept his financing terms. These decisions caused losses to the nation of $19 billion, resulting in the almost definitive loss of Citgo,” Saab said.

“For this reason, we have opened a new investigation against former deputy Juan Guaido, and we have requested an arrest warrant against him.”

Guaido served as the interim president of Venezuela’s transitional government from 2019 until late 2022 – when he was ousted from his leadership role after struggling to make significant gains against the authoritarian regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Due to threats against him and after Guaido said he had been expelled from Colombia, the former Venezuelan National Assembly president traveled to Miami, where he has been since April 25.

Saab said Venezuela will request a red notice from Interpol.

The arrest warrant against Guaido will be for the alleged crimes of treason; usurpation of functions; profit or extraction of money, securities and public goods; money laundering; and association, according to Saab.

The attorney general also said at least 28 investigations are ongoing in the country against Guaido for a raft of alleged crimes including usurpation of functions, money laundering, terrorism, arms trafficking, and treason.