A Venezuelan court has placed Roberto Marrero, an aide of the country's self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaido, into custody for the period of the investigation, Marrero's lawyer Joel Garcia said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th March, 2019) A Venezuelan court has placed Roberto Marrero, an aide of the country's self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaido, into custody for the period of the investigation, Marrero's lawyer Joel Garcia said on Friday.
On Thursday, the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service of Venezuela detained Marrero and Sergio Vergara, another close associate of Guaido. Two rifles and a grenade were subsequently found in Marrero's house. Vergara was released later the same day. Venezuelan Interior Minister Nestor Reverol has previously said that Marrero is accused of organizing criminal terrorist groups.
"He will be deprived of liberty. We will have to wait for 45 days, which the law provides to the prosecutor's office and defense for investigation," Garcia said, as quoted by Nacional newspaper.
The lawyer clarified that the warrant for Marrero's arrests lists the crimes of treason, conspiracy and usurpation of authority.
Venezuela has been facing an acute political crisis since January 5, when Guaido was elected the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, which all other government branches have been refusing to recognize since 2016. On January 23, two days after the Venezuelan Supreme Court annulled his election, Guaido declared himself the country's "interim president." Venezuelan President Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on January 10 after winning the May election, which part of the opposition boycotted, qualified Guaido's move as an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington.
The United States immediately recognized Guaido, after which some 50 other countries followed suit. Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and a number of other states have, in the meantime, voiced their support for the legitimate government under Maduro. Mexico and Uruguay have refused to recognize Guaido, instead declaring themselves neutral and promoting crisis settlement via dialogue.
