Venezuela: Juan Guaidó stripped of parliamentary immunity

Nicolás Maduro’s constituent assembly removes protection, opening the door for arrest of man backed by dozens of countries as interim leader

Tom Phillips and Patricia Torres in Caracas
Wed 3 Apr 2019 03.48 BST

Venezuela’s opposition figurehead, Juan Guaidó, has vowed to continue fighting Nicolás Maduro’s “cowardly, miserable and murderous” regime after he was stripped of his parliamentary immunity – a move that potentially opens the door to Guaidó’s arrest.

More than 50 countries have recognized Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader since he launched his campaign to force Maduro from office in late January, including the United States, Britain and most Latin American governments.

But recent weeks have seen a growing crackdown from Maduro’s beleaguered administration, beginning with the arrest of Guaidó’s chief of staff, who has been accused of leading a terrorist cell that had plotted a wave of political assassinations.

That crackdown escalated dramatically on Tuesday evening as Maduro’s all-powerful constituent assembly voted to strip Guaidó of the legal protections he enjoys as a member of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled parliament.

“The time for justice is coming,” said Tania Díaz, the assembly’s vice president.

-snip-