Venezuela Crisis: Opposition Leader Juan Guaido Lands in Caracas, Faces Arrest
Self-declared president of Venezuela Juan Guaido has returned to Caracas despite an impending threat of being jailed by the Nicolas Maduro government.
Toronto, March 5: Venezuela’s self-declared president and leader of opposition Juan Guaido is back in Caracas, Venezuela after defying a travel ban to fly to Colombia in an attempt to get aid material into his country.
While in Colombia, Guaido also met with international diplomats including US Vice President Mike Pence as well as attended the meeting of Lima countries over the ongoing Venezuela crisis. On his return, he was received at the airport in Caracas by diplomats from EU countries as well as hundreds of supporters.
"Back in our beloved country! Venezuela, we just passed through immigration and we will now head to where our people are," he said on Twitter just after arriving.
"We know the risks we face," he said on arrival. "We are strong, we carry on." Maduro had imposed a travel ban on Guaido as well as ordered the military to stop aid from coming in to Venezuela.
Immediately on his return, Guaido also announced that he would be meeting with the heads of unions of public sector companies and called for a strike across Venezuela against ruling-president Nicolas Maduro.
Guaidó in his speech seemed to taunt Maduro saying, "It is evident that after the threats, somebody did not follow orders. They threatened us and here we are, putting forward our face for Venezuela."
The opposition leader whose supporters continue to grow every-day that Venezuelans face hunger and economic strife in the country, accused the country’s military of being complicit in the crisis of Venezuela. "We demand justice for our people, to be complicit by omission is also to be an accomplice," he says.
This after Guaido’s attempt at getting aid in to Venezuela through the Colombian border was prevented by the Venezuelan army. Troops positioned at the border resorted to firing tear gas as well as live bullets against ordinary Venezuelans hoping for aid material.
Venezuelans are suffering hyperinflation and severe food shortage due to the economic policies of Nicolas Maduro. However, Maduro has accused the U.S. of creating an artificial emergency by imposing sanctions against his government.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2019 01:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).