Violent moment leader of Venezuelan opposition party is dragged out of his vehicle and forced into a truck by military intelligence agents after tweeting that the president is ‘illegitimate’
- A viral video shows the moment opposition leader Juan Guaidó was forcefully detained by police officers on Sunday morning
- Guaidó, who was introduced as the leader of the National Assembly on January 5, was traveling to a rally in northern Venezuela when he vehicle was intercepted
- The video shows how men, who were holding assault weapons and wearing ski masks, force Guaidó into the backseat of an SUV
- As news broke of the legislator’s detention, the government ordered his immediate release and fired the agents
- Guaidó has been highly critical of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, claiming the leader is ‘illegitimate’
A video shows the moment the leader of Venezuela’s opposition party was forcefully detained by special agents after he bashing the country’s president on social media.
Leader of the National Assembly Juan Guaidó, 35, who has been highly critical of President Nicolás Maduro, was traveling to an opposition town hall meeting in the northern port city of La Guaira on Sunday when he was put through the harrowing experience.
Agents with the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) intercepted his vehicle on a busy highway as motorists looked on disbelief while Guaidó put up a struggle.
The cellphone video shows a group of armed men in ski masks battling to shut the right rear passenger door before managing to shove Guaidó into the backseat.
Juan Guaidó is forced into the backseat of a SUV after armed men wearing ski masks intercepted the vehicle of the Venezuelan National Assembly on Sunday morning. He was traveling to an opposition town hall meeting in the northern port city of La Guaira
The legislator, who was introduced as president of the Venezuelan National Assembly on January 5, has vowed to bring down President Nicolás Maduro
News of the politician’s detention instantly went viral on social media and Guaidó, was quickly released – the agents who detained him have been fired.
A coalition of 14 Latin American countries and Canada, known as the Lima Group, condemned Guaidó’s arbitrary’ detention.
Guaidó issued a plea to Venezuela’s military to step forward and disavow Maduro.
Maduro, who was sworn in as president Friday for a second term, has been accused by critics of creating a dictatorship and destroying the economy.
Maduro (pictured), who was sworn in as president Friday for a second term, has been accused by critics of creating a dictatorship and destroying the economy
Guaidó sent out a tweet that questioned Maduro’s legitimacy as leader of Venezuela
Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez claimed Guaidó’s detention was ‘media show that had perhaps been orchestrated to provoke an international uproar.’
‘We want to inform the people of Venezuela that the officials who took that upon themselves are being dismissed,’ Rodriguez said on state TV.
Guaidó, who was sworn in on January 5 as member of the Constituent National Assembly (ANC), said after the incident.
‘We are survivors – not victims, and we are going to move this country forward.
‘We are going to fulfill our constitutional duties.’
The ANC was established in 2017 by Maduro but is not recognized by many Latin American nations and other Western powers.
On January 9, Guaidó had criticized Maduro on Twitter, tweeting: ‘Nicolás Maduro, do you think that by placing posters on the streets that indicate ‘I am President’ legitimizes you as one? The country and the world is aware, you are illegitimate and an usurper of power.’
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Venezuela’s security forces to uphold its citizens’ constitutional rights.
‘The U.S. and the world are watching,’ Pompeo tweeted.
Guaidó denounced Maduro’s government: ‘We are survivors – not victims, and we are going to move this country forward. We are going to fulfill our constitutional duties’
But Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino and the country’s top military commanders praised Maduro in a ceremony Friday at which they pledged loyalty.
The once prosperous South American nation is going through the worst economic crisis in its history, with inflation headed towards two million percent.
Almost three million people have left the country amid chronic shortages of basic food and medicines.