The Venezuelan prosecutor’s office has issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Juan Guaidó. This move is accompanied by a request for a red alert from Interpol, marking a significant escalation in the legal actions against Guaidó. Prosecutor Tarek William Saab announced these developments in a televised speech, emphasizing the gravity of the crimes for which Guaidó is being charged.
The prosecutor’s office accuses Guaidó of mishandling Citgo, the American subsidiary of Venezuela’s national oil company, PDVSA. Legal proceedings concerning this matter are currently underway in the United States. These proceedings could potentially lead to an auction sale to recover Venezuela’s debts and assets of the state-owned corporation. Federal Judge Leonard Stark had previously approved measures to sell shares of PDV Holding, the parent company of Citgo, as compensation to Canadian company Crystallex for the expropriation of a mine in Venezuela in 2011. Other American companies, such as ConocoPhillips, have joined the litigation.
The legal landscape is further complicated by Judge Stark’s validation of the argument that Citgo serves as an ‘alter ego’ for the Venezuelan government. This means that Citgo’s assets could be used to settle debts of PDVSA and other Venezuelan agreements. The prosecutor claims that Guaidó’s actions have led to losses estimated to be close to or greater than 19 billion dollars. These allegations are supported by revelations provided by a federal court in the United States.
This arrest warrant is the first of its kind against Guaidó, who has been the subject of multiple investigations. He had declared himself “interim president” in 2019 and was recognized by the United States and fifty other governments. However, his popularity has waned over the months. Since 2019, a total of 288 arrest warrants have been issued in investigations involving Guaidó, leading to the arrest of 129 opposition collaborators and the conviction of 63 “accomplices.”
The charges against Guaidó are extensive, including treason, usurpation of office, profiteering, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit an offense. Guaidó, who fled to the United States last April, has dismissed these charges as “propaganda” aimed at persecuting the Venezuelan opposition. He conveyed this sentiment in a message on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter.
Citgo could potentially be put up for auction if renegotiations are not carried out with those seeking to recover Venezuelan debts through the sale of its shares. Legal claims aimed at its settlement exceed $20 billion. Guaidó has been residing in Miami, United States, since April 25, adding another layer of complexity to the case as it involves international jurisdictions.
