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116-398: Juan Guaidó Edgar Zambrano Juan Pablo Guanipa José Guerra Delsa Solórzano Support: Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) Luis Parra José Brito Franklyn Duarte Conrado Pérez José Gregorio Noriega Support: Government of Nicolás Maduro Operación Alacrán ( English : Operation Scorpion ), also known as CLAP affair or PSUV-CLAP faction ,

232-740: A Finance Commission, and Marialbert Barrios working with embassies. Delsa Solórzano worked with Luisa Ortega Díaz on the Amnesty Law. David Smolansky was the OAS coordinator for the Venezuelan Migrant and Refugee crisis. Carlos Vecchio was accepted by Pompeo as the Guaidó administration's diplomatic envoy to the US. Julio Borges was named to represent Venezuela in the Lima Group. The National Assembly made more than

348-657: A commission to set a route towards elections was established on 6 March 2019. Guaidó asked the Bank of England and British Prime Minister Theresa May not to return to the Maduro administration the £ 1.2 billion in gold reserves the UK holds for Venezuela, and to allow the opposition to access it instead. In the same week, the US Treasury levied sanctions against PDVSA and transferred control of some Venezuelan assets to Guaidó. Guaidó said

464-640: A cynical joke, saying, "... to mock the Venezuelan's people's needs in this way, you have to be very cynical" to take Venezuelan food to Colombia during Venezuela's humanitarian crisis. The CLAPs have been criticized for distributing food of low quality. A joint report between the Central University of Venezuela and Armando.info showed that milk powder supplied by the CLAP was not nutritious, having high levels of sodium and low levels of calcium only 1/41

580-517: A dozen other diplomatic appointments, including Elisa Trotta Gamus to Argentina, María Teresa Belandria to Brazil, and Humberto Calderón Berti to Colombia. Diplomats to Europe and the Dominican Republic were named on 19 February. Gustavo Tarre Briceño was named Venezuela's Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) on 29 January 2019, and ratified by

696-499: A magistrate of "Venezuela's pro-Maduro Supreme Court later read a statement ... nullifying the appointments and accusing the National Assembly of overstepping its constitutional powers." On 12 July 2021, Special Action Forces (FAES) officials went to Guaidó's residence and besieged him for twenty minutes in the building's garage, and used explosives against him as Guaidó took refuge in an armored vehicle. The intended arrest

812-588: A presidential figure began within Venezuela, not by foreign pressure. López and Guaidó contacted the United States Department of State , presenting a plan to declare Guaidó interim president and that the United States could lead other nations to support his recognition in order to remove Maduro; United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo supported the plan. López and Guaidó promoted this initiative to

928-527: A press release, Popular Will said that Noriega was expelled from their ranks for refusing to respond to allegations of corruption. The deputy refused to accept questions from journalists during the press conference. José Brito said on 2 December 2019 that "there is a rebellion in the Assembly" against the president of parliament, Juan Guaidó , and that he will abstain from voting for a new legislative president on 5 January 2020. The United States Department of

1044-475: A public assembly, asking supporters to disseminate the Amnesty Law throughout the country to military, police and other functionaries. On 30 January, demonstrators took to the streets across the country to encourage the military to allow humanitarian aid and reject Maduro. Maduro also held meetings with the military; top military command remained loyal to Maduro as of February 2019. In a 30 January editorial published by The New York Times , Guaidó explained that

1160-783: A teacher. One grandfather was a sergeant of the Venezuelan National Guard while another grandfather was a captain in the Venezuelan Navy . His parents divorced when he was at a young age, with his father emigrating to the Canary Islands and working as a taxi driver. Guaidó lived through the 1999 Vargas tragedy , a series of mudslides in his home state, which killed some of his friends while also destroying his school and home, leaving him and his family homeless. The mudslide and its response, which he cites regularly in speeches, influenced his political views; colleagues say that

1276-561: A united strategy ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for 2024. The reform was approved with 72 votes in favor, 29 against and 8 abstentions. In a 30 January 2019 New York Times editorial, Guaidó stated that Venezuela had "one of the highest homicide rates in the world", prompting the "largest exodus in Latin American history" and that "Under Mr. Maduro at least 240 Venezuelans have been murdered at marches, and there are 600 political prisoners." His response to these problems

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1392-437: A video in which boxes are opened in one of the CLAP collection centers and several products to fill others, a situation that has been denounced in the state of Sucre . National coordinator Freddy Bernal , affirmed that "it is normal" that there is food diversion in the CLAP "due to the economic war". By December 2017, the police arrested 180 people for diversion of products such as food from CLAP and drugs for chronic diseases;

1508-581: Is counted and the request is made to the Ministry of Popular Power for Food (MINAL), the body in charge of distribution. When the products arrive, which are paid at subsidized prices, the people in charge of the CLAP distribute them through bags and make the delivery family by family. Some of the products included in the CLAP boxes are rice , lentils , beans , tuna , cooking oil , pasta , corn flour , sugar and milk . Sometimes they can vary so much in types of products and/or quantity. The price established by

1624-484: Is the name given to a corruption plot which was denounced in 2019 by the members of the National Assembly of Venezuela . It would have sought to avoid the re-election of Juan Guaidó on 5 January 2020 as President of the Assembly, by obtaining the support of opposing legislators in exchange for millions of dollars. Legislators would have been asked to vote against Guaidó, or to not attend the election and thereby break

1740-483: The 2007 constitutional referendum , which Chávez lost. Along with Leopoldo López and other politicians, Guaidó was a founding member of the Popular Will political party in 2009; the party is affiliated with Socialist International . By 2014, Guaidó was the party's national coordinator. López, one of Venezuela's main opposition politicians, "mentored Guaidó for years" according to a January 2019 CNN report, and

1856-509: The 2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election on 30 July 2017, there were complaints in the neighborhoods of Caracas that they had to justify why they refused to vote in the election and they were removed from service because they abstained and threatened to lose pensions because they did not update the Fatherland Card . Luisa Ortega Díaz , Chief Prosecutor of Venezuela from 2007 to 2017 revealed that President Maduro had profited from

1972-557: The 2018 Venezuelan presidential election illegitimate, refused to recognize the inauguration of Maduro to a second presidential term on 10 January 2019. Guaidó announced, on 23 January 2019, that he was formally assuming the role of interim president under Article 233 of the Constitution of Venezuela , with the backing of the National Assembly, until free elections could be held. At one point Guaidó received formal recognition of legitimacy from almost 60 governments worldwide, including

2088-604: The Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN), and released 45 minutes later. The Lima Group and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro , condemned the act. The Maduro government said the detention was carried out unilaterally by the SEBIN personnel, and twelve SEBIN officials were charged for their actions. Guaidó declared that the events demonstrated that there

2204-525: The Bolivarian National Police (PNB), State and Municipal Police Corps, to maintain public order and guarantee security and sovereignty in the country." For the formation of a CLAP, the communities must organize around their communal councils, choose responsible people and carry out a census that specifies the number of families that live in that territory. With the data collected, the number of bags or boxes of food needed to supply all households

2320-827: The European Union's 27 member-states after he lost his position as head of parliament. Although the United States and the United Kingdom continued to recognize him as the legitimate leader of Venezuela in 2021, the United States stopped recognizing Guaidó in January 2023 when the opposition party vote to dissolve Guaidó's interim government took effect. According to El País , Guaidó had help, along with National Assembly vice-presidents Stalin González and Edgar Zambrano , from young representatives of several political parties: Miguel Pizarro for humanitarian aid, Carlos Paparoni heading

2436-528: The National Assembly , Venezuela 's unicameral legislature , since the 2015 elections . The main opposition parties, united in the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) coalition, are Justice First (Primero Justicia, PJ), A New Era (Un Nuevo Tiempo) and Popular Will (Voluntad Popular). In November 2019, deputy José Guerra denounced a strategy to bribe opposition lawmakers in what he called "Maletín Verde" ( English : Green Suitcase ), with

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2552-602: The President of the National Assembly for the period 2020-21 period. Luis Parra , one of the former PJ MPs expelled after being implicated in Operación Alacrán, made a surprise bid to replace Juan Guaidó as President of the Assembly. While Guaidó and his supporters were prevented from accessing the Assembly chambers, Parra was elected by pro-government MPs and 18 former opposition deputies associated with Operación Alacrán, who became known as “la bancada Clap” (the CLAP bench) or

2668-532: The United Arab Emirates and the U.S. ) linked to the CLAP program, which includes stepsons of President Nicolas Maduro and a Colombian businessman Alex Saab . According to a statement by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , “The corruption network that operates the CLAP program has allowed Maduro and his family members to steal from the Venezuelan people.  They use food as a form of social control, to reward political supporters and punish opponents, all

2784-555: The Venezuelan presidential crisis by challenging Nicolás Maduro 's presidency. In December 2022, opposition parties voted to dismiss Guaidó as interim president, choosing Dinorah Figuera as a successor on 5 January 2023 and ending Guaidó's presidential claim. Guaidó's political career began when he emerged as a student leader in the 2007 Venezuelan protests . He then helped found the Popular Will party with Leopoldo López in 2009, and

2900-464: The Venezuelan presidential crisis , National Assembly President and disputed interim president of Venezuela Juan Guaidó cautioned that the Maduro government had plans to steal the products for humanitarian purposes that entered the country, including plans to distribute these products through the government's food distribution program CLAP. The Maduro government responded to Richard Branson 's Venezuela Aid Live by holding its own rival concert on

3016-493: The protein of normal milk. Consumers likewise have complained about finding from weevils and worms to plastic crumbs and pesticide. Colombian businessman Alex Saab has sold food to Venezuela for more than 200 million USD in a negotiation signed by President Nicolás Maduro through a registered company in Hong Kong , China . On 23 August 2017, the Venezuelan attorney general, Luisa Ortega Díaz , named Alex Saab as

3132-619: The "PSUV-CLAP faction". The opposition, along with most international bodies, did not recognise the vote. On 3 December 2019, Conrado Pérez acknowledged having signed a contract with the Colombia-based Salva Foods company, but said that he does not know the businessman Alex Saab and that the only relationship he had with him was when they summoned him to the Comptroller's Committee, where his lawyers attended in his place, emphasizing that "we are not giving letters of good conduct to

3248-665: The "feckless" response of the then-new government of Hugo Chávez is what drove him to activism. He and his family stayed in a makeshift home in Caracas where he earned his high school diploma in 2000. Guaidó would continue to live in Caracas where he would earn his undergraduate degree in 2007 in industrial engineering from Andrés Bello Catholic University , working at Compu Mall, a Venezuelan chain of computer and electronics stores, to pay for his studies. He also participated in two postgraduate programs of public administration in Caracas: at

3364-532: The January Lima Group meeting and the stance taken by Canada, represented by Chrystia Freeland , were key factors leading Donald Trump, known for being an isolationist, to become involved in Venezuela. The Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) rejected the National Assembly's decisions, while the Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Venezuela in exile welcomed Guaidó as acting president. On 29 January 2019,

3480-570: The Maduro administration was attempting to move some of the country's assets to Uruguay, "to keep stealing from the people of Venezuela." On 5 February, Paparoni announced that the transfer from Portugal to Uruguay had been stopped. Guaidó sought to open up the economy by allowing foreign, private oil companies greater participation in ventures with PDVSA by dropping the requirement for 51% PDVSA ownership in joint ventures. Pledging to honor "legal" and "financial" debt, Carlos Vecchio said that agreements in which Venezuela pays debt with oil (signed by

3596-432: The Maduro administration) might not be honored. In a Euronews interview, Guaidó said that hospitals in Venezuela lacked basic supplies and that "children were dying due to malnutrition." He made bringing humanitarian aid to Venezuelans who could die if aid does not arrive a priority, and a test of the military's allegiance. The day after assuming the acting presidency, Guaidó requested humanitarian aid for Venezuela from

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3712-465: The Maduro government, attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to the country , and social bonuses for health workers during COVID-19 pandemic. Internationally, Guaidó gained control of some Venezuelan assets and property in the United States, had success in a legal battle for control of £1.3 billion of Venezuelan gold reserves in the United Kingdom, and appointed diplomats which had been recognized by supportive governments. In December 2022, three of

3828-721: The Mexican government offered to pay $ 3 million to the United Nations refugee agency. An April 2019 statement from the United States Department of State highlighted the 2017 National Assembly investigation finding that the government paid US$ 42 for food that cost under US$ 13, and that "Maduro's inner circle kept the difference, which totaled more than $ 200 million in at least one case," adding that food boxes were "distributed in exchange for votes." On 1 December 2019, Armando.info published an investigation reporting that nine parliamentaries mediated in favor of two businessmen linked with

3944-403: The National Assembly according to the constitution. On 9 April, the OAS voted 18 to 9, with six abstentions, to accept Tarre Briceño as the ambassador from Venezuela. Maduro's Foreign Ministry called Tarre a "political usurper." The nomination was accepted 20 days before the deadline on Venezuela leaving the union, after they triggered the process in 2017, suggesting that the nation will remain in

4060-623: The OAS against the wishes of the Maduro administration. Venezuela's previous ambassador voted against Tarre. According to The Washington Post , the OAS vote undermined Maduro's presence internationally and marked a step in the official recognition of Guaidó's government. The National Assembly authorized Guaidó's appointment of a new ad hoc directors board of Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), of Citgo , Pdvsa Holding Inc, Citgo Holding Inc. and Citgo Petroleum Corporation. The appointed members of PDVSA were Simón Antúnez, Gustavo J. Velasquez, Carlos José Balza, Ricardo Prada and David Smolansky. Likewise,

4176-636: The TSJ launched a probe of Guaidó, froze his assets, and prohibited him from leaving the country. According to Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers for the United Nations Diego García Sayán , the measures were "not adopted in accordance with constitutional requirements, normal legal procedures and international human rights standards." As of 1 April 2021, Guaidó was no longer recognized as Venezuela's rightful President by

4292-453: The Treasury officials stated that they had collaborated with Colombian officials to investigate corrupt import programs of the Maduro administration including CLAP. They explained that Venezuelan officials pocketed 70% of the proceeds allocated for importation programs destined to alleviate hunger in Venezuela. Treasury officials said they sought to seize the proceeds that were being funneled into

4408-681: The Treasury sanctioned seven individuals in relation to Operación Alacrán , "who, at the bidding of Maduro, attempted to block the democratic process in Venezuela," according to US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin on 13 January 2020. Those sanctioned have had their US assets frozen and have been banned from doing business with US financial markets and US citizens. The list includes the members of Parra's appointed board of directors and his supporters: Franklyn Duarte , José Gregorio Noriega, Negal Morales, José Brito , Conrado Pérez, and Adolfo Superlano, and Parra himself. Maduro's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza responded to these sanctions by stating that

4524-767: The UCAB with the partnership of the George Washington University and at the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración (IESA). Guaidó stated, after "it became clear that under Chávez the country was drifting toward totalitarianism ," he was part of the student-led political movement that protested the Venezuelan government's decision to shut down the independent television network RCTV with other prominent student leaders in 2007—the year he graduated from Andrés Bello Catholic University. They also protested broader attempted government reforms by Chávez, including

4640-661: The US Treasury sought to "interfere and undermine the proper functioning of democratic institutions, with the unusual intention to designate from Washington the authorities of the legislative power." The statement also argues that these tactics are "contrary to international law and undermine the stability, peace and self-determination of the Venezuelan people." On 27 January, Rafael Requesens denounced that Parra, through an intermediary from Yaracuy , asked her to not criticize him so strongly in social media, promising that if she complied "he would personally speak with Maduro" to release her brother Juan Requesens and Gilber Caro . After

4756-493: The US and from the United Nations . He said Venezuela's neighbors, in a "global coalition to send aid to Venezuela", would help get humanitarian aid and medicine into the country; products would be shipped to neighboring ports and brought overland via convoys. He said that the 250,000 people whose lives were in danger would be the recipients of the first phase of the effort. He traveled to Cúcuta on 22 February to be present as

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4872-566: The United Nations about the scale of the humanitarian crisis, and the softening of Maduro's position on receiving aid, the Red Cross tripled its budget for aid to Venezuela. On 23 April 2019, Guaidó named Alberto Federico Ravell , former CEO and co-founder of the news channel Globovisión , as his spokesman and director of the National Center of Communications of Venezuela, Guaidó's information and media board. In January 2020, Guaidó announced

4988-633: The United States Mike Pence called Guaidó on 22 January and told him that the United States would support his initiative. On 23 January, Guaidó declared he assumed the functions as acting president and took the presidential oath at a rally in Caracas. Within minutes of Guaidó's swearing-in, the United States recognized him as president , followed shortly thereafter by Canada and other Latin American and European countries; Russia, China, Iran, Syria, Cuba and Turkey supported Maduro. Maduro accused

5104-540: The United States of backing a coup and said he would cut ties with the country. Guaidó denied the coup allegations, saying peaceful volunteers backed his movement. In December 2018, Guaidó had traveled to Washington, D.C. , where he met with OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro, and then on 14 January to Colombia for a Lima Group meeting, in which Maduro's mandate was rejected. The fragmented opposition later unified around Guaidó. Spanish newspaper El País described U.S. president Donald Trump 's election—coinciding with

5220-431: The United States without the knowledge of the National Assembly, according to Neuman. Upon taking office, Guaidó vowed to oppose Maduro, and elaborated an action plan. The plan, approved by the National Assembly, comprised three phases (end of usurpation, transitional government, and free elections), with eight key points. While on his way to a 13 January 2019 public assembly, Guaidó was briefly detained by members of

5336-502: The United States, Canada and various Latin American and European countries, although the European Union stopped recognizing his presidency on 6 January 2021. Following the 5 January dissolution of Guaidó's interim government, the United States confirmed that it stopped its recognition. Other nations, including Russia, China, Iran, Syria, Cuba and Turkey consistently rejected his claim to the presidency and continued to recognize Maduro as

5452-530: The Venezuelan public. He participated in the 2017 Venezuelan protests , where one time security forces fractured his arm and he was shot with rubber bullets, which he has stated left scars on his neck. In January 2018 he was sworn in as the Leader of the Majority in the National Assembly. A rotating presidency of the National Assembly of Venezuela agreement resulted with Popular Will attaining leadership and due to

5568-720: The Venezuelan side of the border with Colombia , at the Simón Bolívar International Bridge on 22 and 23 February. The slogan for the concert is "Nothing for war, hands off Venezuela". Information Minister Jorge Rodríguez said the government would distribute 20,000 boxes of subsidized food from the Local Committees for Supply and Production (CLAP) to the poor residents of Cúcuta in Colombia, and that free medical attention would be given to Colombians and Venezuelans. Guaidó characterized this announcement as

5684-511: The acceptance of humanitarian shipments by Maduro was his first acknowledgement that Venezuela is "suffering from an economic collapse." Guaidó said the acceptance of humanitarian aid was the "result of our pressure and insistence", and called on Venezuelans to "stay vigilant to make sure incoming aid is not diverted for 'corrupt' purposes". Following the joint report from Human Rights Watch and Johns Hopkins in April 2019, increasing announcements from

5800-491: The accounts of corrupt Venezuelan officials and hold them for a possible future government in Venezuela. A month later, on 17 May 2018, the Colombian government seized more than 25,000 CLAP boxes containing about 400 tons of decomposing food, which was destined for distribution to the Venezuelan public. The Colombian government said they were investigating shell companies and money laundering related to CLAP operations, and claimed

5916-480: The actions from the opposition to remove Guaidó as their leader signified that it has lost faith in "Guaidó's ability to oust President Nicolás Maduro". In April 2023 he fled to the United States citing fears of his arrest, living in exile in Miami , Florida . On 6 October 2023, the Maduro administration charged Guaidó with money laundering , treason , and usurping public functions , issued an arrest warrant and asked

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6032-452: The aid entered Colombia; Maduro administration security forces clashed with demonstrators and blocked the aid from entering. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announced in March 2019 that the Red Cross was preparing to bring humanitarian aid to the country in April to help ease both the chronic hunger and the medical crisis. The Wall Street Journal said that

6148-406: The aim of breaking the qualified majority that the opposition had in the National Assembly. On 1 December, the website Armando.info published an investigation reporting that nine members of the opposition National Assembly mediated in favor of two businessmen linked with the government and the controversial Local Committees for Supply and Production (CLAP) program. The investigation reported that

6264-576: The allegations and said that he was open to being investigated for corruption. Weeks prior to his investigation, Parra openly shared support for Guaidó and promoted his protest movement. Following the accusation, some parties conducted internal investigations, such as the Popular Will Conflict Committee. On 20 December 2019, the National Assembly indicated that the legislators involved were the principal deputies Parra, José Gregorio Noriega, José Brito, Adolfo Superlano and Conrado Pérez, and

6380-426: The announcement of regional elections in 2021, Guaidó announced a "national salvation agreement" and proposed negotiation with Maduro with a schedule for free and fair elections, with international support and observers, in exchange for lifting international sanctions . Domestically, Guaidó's actions included a proposed Plan País (Country Plan), an amnesty law for military personnel and authorities who turn against

6496-508: The appointed members of Citgo Holding and Citgo Petroleum Corporation were Luisa Palacios, Edgar Rincón, Luis Urdaneta, Ángel Olmeta, Andrés Padilla and Rick Esser. With Citgo under the control of Guaidó's administration, the US Department of Treasury extended its license to operate in spite of US sanctions. Guaidó named José Ignacio Hernández as special solicitor, making Hernández the first official named with state power. Ricardo Hausmann

6612-525: The appointment of an ad hoc directors board of the National Commission of Telecommunications (CONATEL), saying that " Telesur will no longer be a propaganda tool of the regime." Local Committees for Supply and Production In June 2018, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report in which they considered that the CLAP program did not meet certain standards related to

6728-583: The assistance of the Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution. In January 2020, security forces prevented Guaidó and other congress members from entering the legislative palace during an internal election to choose the board of directors. A majority of lawmakers held an "emergency meeting" and voted to re-elect Guaidó as their leader, while the remaining lawmakers at the legislative palace elected Luis Parra . Security forces denied Guaidó and opposition lawmakers access to parliament many times since. After

6844-507: The boxes is Bs.F 10,000 or Bs.S 100, and the delivery must be made every month. Some of the products are made in Venezuela. However, most are imported from countries such as Mexico , Canada , Brazil and the United States , which are paid by the Venezuelan government in United States dollars to exchange rate that equals US$ 1 = 10 Bs.F , which guarantees low prices. In June 2019, National Coordinator Freddy Bernal announced that

6960-407: The business and distribution of food for the CLAP. In the document that is addressed to the journalist Roberto Deniz and signed by the general director of CONATEL, Vianey Miguel Rojas "prohibits citizens Roberto Denis Machín, Joseph Poliszuk, Ewal Carlos Sharfenderg and Alfredo José Meza publish and disseminate through the digital media specifically on the site Armando.info , mentions that go against

7076-455: The citizen Alex Saab", putting his position to the order to investigate his management. Adolfo Superlano rejected the accusations, stating that they were being accused for saying that they were not going to re-elect Guaidó. Deputies Parra and Guillermo Luces denied the accusations against them. Parra said that the Armando.Info research article is part of a "dirty war" and alleged that the website

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7192-742: The correct distribution and commercialization of food and basic necessities." In addition to this, in accordance with what is stated in article 9 of the Official Gazette 6227, CLAPs can be "assigned functions of surveillance and organization to the Local Supply and Distribution Committees (CLAP), the Communal Councils and other organizations. of the People's Power, together with the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela (FANB),

7308-655: The correspondent of the digital outlet Crónica Uno Mónica Salazar did a public denouncement, on 30 January the National Journalists Association confirmed bribe attempts to journalists with large sums of money to publicly express support to Parra and his directive board. In March 2020, a Reuters investigation confirmed much of the original opposition allegations, with telephone recordings and interviews with opposition MPs indicating deputies had been targeted with offers of financial incentives to switch support from Guaidó. MPs alleged that Jose Noriega made many of

7424-426: The decision. On 3 January 2020, Nicmer Evans  [ es ] , a Caracas-based analyst, alleged that Maduro had managed to cause 14 deputies to not cast a vote for Guaidó through these tactics. Guaidó theoretically controlled 112 seats in the Assembly at the time, needing 84 votes to win. On 5 January 2020, the 2020 Venezuelan National Assembly Delegated Committee election took place to determine who would be

7540-537: The deputies Leandro Domínguez and Jesús Gabriel Peña, a former member of Democratic Action . Deputy Arkiely Perfecto was expelled from Democracy and Inclusion Movement for allegedly receiving bribes, as denounced by party head Nicmer Evans. Other deputies implicated in bribery are José Antonio España and José Gregorio Aparicio, both members of the parliamentary section of Superlano, and Domínguez, an independent for Renewal and Change. In response to these reports, Brito said that 70 deputies demanded that Juan Guaidó provide

7656-453: The detainees included businessmen, policemen and members of the CLAP. Among the most notable cases are the seizure of 30 tons of CLAP food and drugs that an organized group had diverted for resale in Vargas , According to Felipe Pérez Martí, a government minister during the first government of Hugo Chávez , the military is left with 80% of the CLAP's imports, who received full control to manage

7772-535: The distribution of food in Venezuela in July 2016 through the Gran Mision Soberano y Seguro program. The beneficiaries of the committees have denounced and protested the delay in the delivery of the CLAP boxes, in some cases receiving them with price increases without prior notice. CLAP was also criticized by the beneficiaries and even by leaders This is a politicized mechanism that excludes people who do not support

7888-781: The election of conservative presidents in Colombia and Brazil, along with deteriorating conditions in Venezuela—as "a perfect storm," influenced by hawks in the Trump administration. Opposition members Carlos Vecchio, Julio Borges and Gustavo Tarre were consulted, and the Trump administration decision to back Guaidó formed on 22 January, according to El Pais . U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , National Security Adviser John R. Bolton , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and others met with Trump that day, and Vice President Mike Pence called Guaidó that night to express U.S. support, according to The Wall Street Journal . According to El País ,

8004-422: The food crisis. CLAP made contracts with Group Grand Limited, a Mexican entity owned by Maduro through frontmen Rodolfo Reyes, Álvaro Uguedo Vargas and Alex Saab. Group Grand Limited would sell foodstuffs to CLAP and receive government funds. Writer Leonardo Padrón described the program and the homeland card as a "hunger-for-votes exchange", saying: "Give me your signature, take your CLAP [food box]." During

8120-458: The four main opposition political parties ( Justice First , Democratic Action , and A New Era ) backed and approved a reform to dissolve the interim government and create a commission of five members to manage foreign assets, as deputies sought a united strategy ahead of the next Venezuelan presidential election scheduled for 2024, stating that the interim government had failed to achieve the goals it had set. The New York Times reported that

8236-533: The four main political parties ( Justice First , Democratic Action and A New Era ) backed a reform of the Statute Governing the Transition to Democracy to dissolve the interim government and create a commission of five members to manage foreign assets, stating that the interim government had failed to achieve the goals it had set. The amendment was voted by the opposition National Assembly as deputies sought

8352-540: The government and criticized for delays in distribution, for not distributing enough food and distributing food that has expired. National Assembly deputy and Popular Will politician Ismael León, denounced the purchase of imported and expired food, that most of the food products imported by the government do not have the sanitary permit and corruption caused by public officials, declaring that "there are soldiers involved and even detained and there are colonels and sergeants whom they have found with boxes of food." After

8468-521: The government-operated Local Supply and Production Committees (CLAP) that provides food to Venezuelans in need, are a "political instrument to defend the revolution ." According to Article 2 of the Decree of State of Exception and Economic Emergency published in the Official Gazette of Venezuela #6227, the CLAP are responsible for "the guarantee, even through intervention of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela and citizen security organs [...] for

8584-806: The government. Parliamentarian Luis Parra was accused of being involved in corruption with the CLAP program of the Nicolás Maduro government. Parra has denied the accusations. After the investigation was published, the deputies Luis Parra, José Brito, Conrado Pérez and José Gregorio Noriega were suspended and expelled from their parties Justice First and Popular Will . Another report by Armando.info in January 2020 revealed that seven deputies - including Luis Parra, José Brito, Adolfo Superlano, Chaim Bucaram, Conrado Pérez and Richard Arteaga - travelled in Spring 2019 through seven European countries, including Liechtenstein, Bulgaria and Portugal, to lobby for Saenz. The trip

8700-407: The honor and reputation of the citizen Alex Naím Saab (...) until the end of the present process in the case that is being pursued against the aforementioned citizens". On 18 October 2018, Mexican prosecutors accused the Venezuelan government and Mexican individuals of buying poor quality food products for CLAP and exporting them to Venezuela, doubling their value for sale. Suspects investigated by

8816-508: The implicated lawmakers had written letters of support to the United States Treasury and others to a Colombian man named Carlos Lizcano, who authorities were investigating over his possible links to Alex Saab , another Colombian associated with the food distribution program and under United States sanctions. According to Armando.info, the lawmakers wrote the letters despite being aware of evidence that tied Lizcano to Saab. In addition,

8932-406: The international community to cooperate with an arrest of Guaidó, requesting a red notice be issued by Interpol . Guaidó has denied the charges made against him in the arrest warrant. Guaidó was born on 28 July 1983. Part of a large family, he was raised in a middle-class home in the outskirts of La Guaira ; his parents are Wilmer and Norka. His father was an airline pilot and his mother,

9048-720: The law would only apply to individuals who were not found to have committed crimes against humanity . According to Colombian immigration authorities, as of 24 April 2019, about 1,400 Venezuelan military personnel had broken ranks and crossed the border into Colombia since the border clashes began on 23 February, in addition to 60 that crossed into Brazil, according to the Brazilian Army. Guaidó told CNN in February 2019 that he would call elections 30 days after Maduro left power. He did not state if he would run for president when elections occur, but said discussing running for president

9164-472: The legislature's opposition. He contributed to research at the University of Arizona , giving testimony to analysts on the working conditions of Latin American politicians and, specifically, institutional crisis and political change. In the National Assembly, Guaidó investigated corruption cases involving the Maduro administration, and worked with independent organizations to recover money allegedly stolen from

9280-476: The legitimate president without interruption. Guaidó failed to remove Maduro from power. The Maduro administration has frozen Guaidó's Venezuelan assets, has launched a probe accusing Guaidó of foreign interference, and has threatened violence against him. In April 2019, Guaidó called for an uprising against Maduro as part of " Operation Freedom ", which ultimately failed. Following the failed uprising, representatives of Guaidó and Maduro began mediation, with

9396-403: The media. Later in the day, a separate session was carried out at the headquarters of El Nacional newspaper, where 100 of the 167 deputies voted to re-elect Guaidó as president of the parliament. In his speech, Guaidó announced his resignation from Popular Will. Guaidó was sworn in on 7 January after forcing his way in through police barricades. On the same day, Parra reiterated his claim to

9512-510: The necessary quorum. In 2016, President Nicolás Maduro initiated the Local Committees for Supply and Production (CLAP) programme to meet on-going food shortages . Much of the food provided by the programme was supplied by Colombian businessman Alex Saab . The United States Department of the Treasury , Colombian and Mexican law enforcement officials, Venezuelan investigative journalists and others had been reporting corruption related to

9628-491: The offers. Juan Guaid%C3%B3 Juan Gerardo Antonio Guaidó Márquez (born 28 July 1983) is a Venezuelan opposition politician. He belonged to the social-democratic party Popular Will , and was a federal deputy to the National Assembly representing the state of Vargas . On 23 January 2019, the National Assembly declared that he was acting president of Venezuela ( Spanish : Presidente encargado de Venezuela ) and Guaidó swore himself into office, starting

9744-786: The one deputy with an alternate. The Venezuelan opposition alleged that they were targeted by what they described as a "campaign of bribery and intimidation" by Nicolás Maduro 's government in December 2019. Venezuelan lawmakers and the US State Department said that opposition deputies, in parties led or allied with Guaidó, were being offered up to US$ 1 million to not vote for him. Parra and other opposition deputies were removed from their parties following allegations that they were being bribed by Maduro. Deputies Ismael León and Luis Stefanelli directly accused Parra in December 2019 of attempting to bribe deputies to vote against Guaidó. Parra denied

9860-408: The operation. She said the government resorted to this method after failing to incarcerate or suspend the parliamentary immunity of the deputies, denouncing a considerable increase of political persecution as 5 January National Assembly Delegated Committee election approached, explaining that security forces had gone to the houses of many deputies without alternates, and, according to Solórzano, bribed

9976-453: The owner of the Mexican firm Group Grand Limited, 26 along with Colombian businessmen Álvaro Pulido and Rofolfo Reyes, "presumably President Nicolás Maduro " and dedicated to selling food to the CLAP. Saab would have met Álvaro Pulido in 2012, when he was dedicated to supplying the Saab company, but this activity would have stopped doing it in 2014. Spanish national newspaper El País said that

10092-467: The party's head officials being imprisoned or exiled, Guaidó was chosen as president in December 2018 by the Assembly, and was sworn in on 5 January 2019. Relatives of imprisoned politicians were invited to the inauguration. At 35, Guaidó was the youngest to have led the opposition. Shortly after assuming the presidency of the legislature, Guaidó began advocating for a law to form a transitional government. Two politicians were primarily responsible for

10208-415: The portal pointed to Brito as one of those implicated in alleged acts of corruption to "cleanse the reputation" of Colombian businessmen linked to the government of Nicolás Maduro and the network of embezzlement of social assistance funds of the Local Committees for Supply and Production (CLAP). After the investigation was published, Juan Guaidó condemned the actions of the nine members stating that it

10324-500: The presidency of the parliament. After what he and critics of the Maduro administration described as the "illegitimate" inauguration of Maduro on 10 January 2019, Guaidó challenged Maduro's claim to the presidency. The National Assembly declared Guaidó was willing to assume the responsibilities of the presidency. They called for demonstrations on 23 January, the 61st anniversary of the overthrow of dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez . Prior to Guaidó's declaration, Vice President of

10440-496: The price of a CLAP box would increase to Bs.S 9,000 due to the high transfer costs. To the distribution mechanism are added the supply networks of the State, Mercal and PDVAL , as well as the warehouses of each locality and the commercializing company Makro. The Ministry of Municipalities is in charge of certifying and registering all duly organized CLAPs in order to optimize their relationship with suppliers. Since its introduction to

10556-685: The public, there were allegations that only supporters of President Nicolás Maduro , the government and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) were provided food, while government critics and Venezuelan opposition supporters were denied access to goods. In June 2018, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report where it considered that the CLAPs did not comply with certain norms related to

10672-432: The right to adequate food access, and documented both the lack of scrutiny and its use as a tool as a tool of political propaganda and social control. PROVEA , a Venezuelan human rights group, described CLAPs as "a form of food discrimination that is exacerbating social unrest". There have been several complaints of CLAP boxes that are missing some products that should regularly come in the package. La Patilla broadcast

10788-464: The right to adequate food; in addition the lack of control in the program was documented, as was its use as a tool for political propaganda and social control. On 3 April 2016, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro announced that from that day, the Local Supply and Production Committees (CLAP) would be created at the national level. According to the Vice President of Venezuela , Aristóbulo Istúriz ,

10904-466: The sale of low quality and over-priced food to the Venezuelan government's CLAP program, which were aimed at the poorest population. Moreover, the ministry has opened an investigation relating to money laundering after detecting "irregularities for more than 150 million dollars." On 25 July 2019, the United States Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on 10 people and 13 companies (from Colombia , Hong Kong ( China ), Mexico , Panama , Turkey ,

11020-412: The shipment was to be used to buy votes during the 2018 Venezuelan presidential election . On 11 September 2018, the National Commission of Telecommunications (CONATEL) banned the publication of information about Alex Saab to the journalists of the Armando.info web portal, who have published research papers in which they point to Saab as an alleged member of acts of corruption that would exist around

11136-541: The status of resources received from the humanitarian aid. Guaidó said he did not know of any letter signed by 70 deputies. The same day, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) clarified that the interim government chaired by Guaidó does not administer money from humanitarian aid. A partial reform of the Rules of Interior and Debates of the National Assembly had been approved on 17 December but

11252-401: The strategy that brought Guaidó to prominence: Julio Borges (in exile) and Leopoldo López (under house arrest). The plan was developed after the failed 2017 negotiations during the Venezuelan crisis between representatives of chavismo and the opposition, and that took more than a year to develop. Ricardo Hausmann and politicians from different political parties were also involved. Borges

11368-470: The supply since 2017. Meanwhile, a political and constitutional crisis was unfolding in Venezuela, heightened during the presidential crisis of 2019 in which there were two rival claimants to the country's presidency, the incumbent Maduro of the PSUV party and the opposition leader Juan Guaidó . Guaidó's claim to legitimacy rested on his presidency of the National Assembly , based on the opposition majority in

11484-416: The two spoke several times daily. As Lopez's protégé, Guaidó was well known in his party and the National Assembly, but not internationally; López named Guaidó to lead the Popular Will party in 2019. In the 2010 Venezuelan parliamentary election , Guaidó was elected as an alternate national deputy. He was one of several politicians who went on a hunger strike to demand parliamentary elections in 2015 and

11600-531: The website the ICFJ Knight Prize . However, since the report showed weakness in the government, many of the reporters had to flee the country in exile; they continued to investigate and brought the responsible company to trial in Colombia and put on a United States watchlist. On 19 April 2018, after a multilateral meeting between over a dozen European and Latin American countries, United States Department of

11716-417: The while pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars through a number of fraudulent schemes.” The Maduro government rejected the sanctions, calling it sign of “desperation” by “the gringo empire.” President Maduro said "Imperialists, prepare for more defeats, because the CLAP in Venezuela will continue, no one takes the CLAP away from the people.” A communique from the Venezuelan foreign ministry "denounces

11832-438: The world would know little of the recent turmoil in Venezuela if not for the "in-depth reports" published by Armando.Info , a Venezuelan investigation journalism website. It reports on all matters that contribute to the crisis in Venezuela, including corruption in other countries. One report on Mexican exploitation by overpricing CLAP boxes sold to the Venezuelan government even as it was filling them with expired food products won

11948-590: Was "premature". The Statute Governing the Transition to Democracy to Re-establish the Validity of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( Spanish : Estatuto que Rige la Transición a la Democracia para Restablecer la Vigencia de la Constitución de la República Bolivariana De Venezuela ) was approved on 5 February, and the National Assembly second vice-president Stalin González announced that

12064-808: Was "unacceptable to use a state institution to attempt to whitewash the reputation of thieves". Moreover, the scandal damaged Guaidó's reputation among his supporters in Venezuela, with some members of the opposition beginning to call for new leadership, according to analysts and those involved. On 20 December, Deputies Luis Parra , José Brito , Conrado Pérez and José Gregorio "Goyo" Noriega were suspended and expelled from their respective parties, Justice First and Popular Will . A further Armando.info report in January 2020 revealed that seven MPs - including Luis Parra, José Brito, Adolfo Superlano, Chaim Bucaram, Conrado Pérez and Richard Arteaga - travelled in Spring 2019 through seven European countries, including Liechtenstein, Bulgaria and Portugal, to lobby for Saenz. The trip

12180-529: Was a break in the chain of command in the Armed Forces, and that Maduro was not in control. The 2020 Venezuelan National Assembly Delegated Committee election of 5 January, to elect the Board of Directors of the National Assembly, was disrupted; there were two claims for the presidency of the National Assembly, by Guaidó and Luis Parra , an independent legislator. Parra was formerly a member of Justice First , but

12296-471: Was annulled by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ). The reform was intended to allow the virtual vote of deputies who had left the country. The National Communication Center of the National Assembly condemned the court's ruling, stating that the decision went hand-in-hand with "buying consciences of some deputies who have betrayed their constituents". A number of deputies went to the TSJ to request an appeal of

12412-407: Was elected to a full-seat in the National Assembly in the 2015 elections with 26% of the vote. Vargas, an impoverished area, was home to many state-run companies that employed the majority of the population; until Guaidó's 2015 election, chavista candidates had run unchallenged. In 2017, he was named head of the Comptroller's Commission of the National Assembly and in 2018, he was named head of

12528-428: Was elected to be an alternate deputy in the National Assembly one year later in 2010. In 2015, Guaidó was elected as a full-seat deputy. Following a protocol to annually rotate the position of President of the National Assembly among political parties, Popular Will nominated Guaidó for the position in 2019. Guaidó was a key figure in the Venezuelan presidential crisis, which began when the National Assembly, considering

12644-432: Was expelled from the party on 20 December 2019 based on corruption allegations, which he denied. Parra declared himself president of the National Assembly – a move that was welcomed by the Maduro administration. The opposition disputed this outcome, saying that quorum had not been achieved and no votes had been counted. Police forces had blocked access to parliament to some opposition members, including Guaidó, and members of

12760-400: Was foiled due to the vehicle and his neighbors and supporters, who opposed Guaidó's detention. Guaidó said that the officers did not identify themselves nor did they show any judicial order. On the same day, former deputy Freddy Guevara was detained while he was driving his vehicle. After a preliminary vote on 22 December 2022 to remove the interim government, on 30 December 2022, three of

12876-437: Was functioning as an extortion network. Luces stated that his signature mentioned on the documents is false. In a press conference held on 20 December 2019, José Gregorio Noriega rejected the expulsion of his Popular Will party, stating that the allegations of corruption against him are false and criticizing the behavior of other party members. Noriega challenged his accusers to provide proof and threatened legal action. Through

12992-455: Was involved in external efforts, such as with the Lima Group , along with Antonio Ledezma and Carlos Vecchio , who operated in the United States; María Corina Machado and López operated in Venezuela. David Smolansky and Freddy Guevara also supported Guaidó, along with Henrique Capriles , who had initially been distant. Javier Corrales, professor and author, stated that Guaidó's rise as

13108-491: Was named as Venezuela's representative to the Inter-American Development Bank , who recognized Hausmann as a replacement for Maduro's representative. The Maduro administration's prosecutor general, Tarek William Saab , said the "appointments by Guaidó and his National Assembly are part of an illegal power grab backed by foreign governments" and opened a probe into the ambassador and oil industry appointees;

13224-544: Was organised by Eurocontinentes Travel Agency, in Bogotá, Colombia, co-owned by Iván Caballero Ferreira, a businessman closely linked to Saab and Pulido. Images of the Venezuelan deputies in Europe were geolocated by open source investigative website Bellingcat , confirming their visit to countries where Saab has significant business interests. On 18 July 2019, Mexico's Ministry of Finance froze bank accounts of 19 companies related to

13340-513: Was organised by Eurocontinentes Travel Agency, in Bogotá, Colombia, co-owned by Iván Caballero Ferreira, a businessman closely linked to Saab and Pulido. Images of the MPs in Europe were geolocated by open source investigative website Bellingcat , confirming their visit to countries where Saab has significant business interests. On 18 December 2019, on CNN Radio Argentina , Deputy Delsa Solórzano accused disputed President Nicolás Maduro of directing

13456-504: Was three-fold: restore the democratic National Assembly, gain international support, and allow for the people's right to self-determination. On 25 January 2019, Guaidó offered the Amnesty Law ( Spanish : Ley de Amnistía a nombre de la Asamblea Nacional de Venezuela ) approved by the National Assembly, for military personnel and authorities who help unseat Maduro. He suggested that if Maduro gave up power, he may receive amnesty. He held

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