Colombia Denies Expulsion Of Venezuelan Opposition Politician Guaido

MEXICO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th April, 2023) Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Guaido's departure from Colombia has been arranged and accompanied by US agents rather than forced by Colombian authorities, Colombian Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva Duran said on Tuesday.

"Surprisingly, his presence here (in Colombia) became known due to the fuss that he himself had made, (saying that) he would participate in the conference, and so on. Naturally, the migration service immediately inquired what had happened. Finally, it was established via a high-ranking United States official where he (Guaido) was staying, which allowed the migration service to contact him and arrange his departure through (Colombian international airport) El Dorado promptly. He was accompanied by US agents for the whole time in El Dorado, and the United States provided him with a plane ticket," Duran told reporters on the sidelines of the International Conference on the Political Process in Venezuela.

The minister denied any restrictions imposed on either Guaido or his wife that could have prevented them from entering Colombia legally, adding that the opposition politician's actions stemmed singularly from the desire to make publicity.

Duran thanked US officials for the collaboration, which made it possible for the situation to end "in a transparent and completely successful way."

Guaido said on Thursday that he left Venezuela illegally and crossed into Colombia on foot, fearing "threats" from the authorities. He also said that he intended to meet with international delegations which were coming to Colombia to attend the conference. On April 25, he said that he had been expelled from Colombia and went to the US.

Guaido proclaimed himself interim president and headed mass protests in Venezuela in early 2019. The move escalated into a long political crisis in which a group of Western countries led by the United States supported Guaido and recognized him as legitimate president. Russia, China, Turkey and several other nations continued to recognize the presidency of Venezuela's incumbent leader, Nicolas Maduro. It was not until December 2022 that the Venezuelan opposition voted to dismantle Guaido's interim government for failing to meet the goals it had set.