CARACAS, Venezuela – The Venezuelan government has issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Juan Guaidó, accusing the politician of using state oil money for his own benefit. Guaidó escaped to the United States this year, fleeing what he said were threats of his arrest.
The arrest warrant was issued by Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab, who said that Guaidó had used state-owned oil company PDVSA’s resources to finance himself and pay his legal expenses.
“Juan Guaidó used PDVSA resources to finance himself, pay his legal expenses, and forced PDVSA to accept his financing terms,” Saab said during a press conference in Caracas.
Guaidó has denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated. He has accused the Venezuelan government of corruption and mismanagement.
Guaidó was once recognized by the United States and dozens of other countries as Venezuela’s legitimate president. However, he has lost some international support in recent months.
The arrest warrant against Guaidó is seen by some as a sign of increasing repression by the Venezuelan government. The government of President Nicolás Maduro has been accused of human rights abuses, including arbitrary detentions and torture.
The United States has condemned the arrest warrant against Guaidó. The U.S. State Department said in a statement that the warrant was “part of a broader pattern of intimidation and harassment of the Venezuelan opposition.”
The arrest warrant against Guaidó is likely to further strain relations between the United States and Venezuela. The two countries have been at odds for years, and the United States has imposed a number of sanctions on Venezuela in an effort to pressure Maduro to step down.
It is unclear what will happen next in the case of Juan Guaidó. He remains in the United States, and it is unlikely that he will return to Venezuela anytime soon. The arrest warrant is likely to remain in place, and it could make it difficult for Guaidó to travel to other countries in the future.
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