On the morning of this Monday, Juan Guaidó surprised with a message on his Twitter account in which he informed that he was in Colombia, just one day before the conference on Venezuela organized by President Gustavo Petro.
(Read also: What does the Venezuelan opposition expect from the summit in Bogotá? Juan Guaidó speaks)
The opponent assured that he crossed the border and that he arrived in the neighboring country “in the same way that millions of Venezuelans have done (…) on foot”, in order to meet with representatives of the invited countries. It is not clear if he will try to meet with Petro, if he will be received or not attended.
This is the third time that Guaidó mocked the government of Nicolás Maduro, since the opponent is prohibited from leaving the country, in addition to arrest warrants.
There are at least three cases against him and each contemplates multiple crimes.
Dear Venezuelans, today April 24 I want to inform you of the following in this statement. Later I will be communicating with you again about our next steps. God bless you. pic.twitter.com/340tfoJRHP
— Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) April 24, 2023
In 2019, after proclaiming himself interim president and being recognized by at least 60 countries, the Comptroller General of the Republic disqualified him for 15 years and froze his accounts, in addition to issuing the arrest warrant.
In May 2020, an arrest warrant was also issued after a maritime raid that was allegedly aimed at overthrowing Maduro.
In 2021 came a new disqualification that included another 28 legislators from the 2015 National Assembly.
Travel abroad
Despite the disqualifications, Guaidó has outwitted the Maduro government. He did it for the first time when he appeared on February 22 in Cúcuta for the Venezuela Aid Live fundraising concert.
There he crossed the border and, later, he was together with President Iván Duque and other leaders.
(Read also: This was the Venezuela Aid Live concert, on the border)
After this trip, photographs of Guaidó with members of the “Los Rastrojos” gang came to light, who would have helped the opponent to cross the trails.
In 2020, Guaidó also undertook an international tour that sealed his leadership with a meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump, who promoted the interim government that the opponent presided over but could not displace Maduro.
(Also read: Did Donald Trump ask Guaidó the possibility of assassinating Maduro?)
Now, he comes out again but this time more weakened. He is no longer interim president, since he was removed by the same opposition.
In recent months, he had dedicated himself to promoting his candidacy for the October primaries, a mechanism with which the opposition hopes to choose Chavismo’s opponent by 2024.
With his trip, Guaidó violates his travel ban and defies arrest threats against him.
Sources told EL TIEMPO that it is likely that Guaidó does not return to Venezuela and, on the contrary, goes into exile in the United States.
“In recent days, the regime has once again raised the threats against me and its objective is to silence my voice. I am not going to allow Maduro that,” the opponent said in his statement.
ANA MARIA RODRIGUEZ BRAZON
WEATHER CORRESPONDENT
CARACAS
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