- Title: Profile of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido
- Date: 2nd January 2020
- Summary: ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MAN AT RALLY CHANTING SLOGANS IN OPPOSITION TO VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT, NICOLAS MADURO SIGN WITH IMAGE OF MADURO'S FACE CROSSED OUT GUAIDO GREETING SUPPORTERS PEOPLE AT RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, JUAN GUAIDO, SAYING: "We know - and that's why we've spoken directly and clearly to the military family, which is also going through hunger, is having a hard time - that there is someone usurping, there is someone that is breaking the chain of command and you (the military) know it. The military family wants change, wants the same as we do, we call on them once again today, here is the legitimate National Assembly, that clearly is assuming its responsibilities and will assume them." CROWD CHANTING (Spanish): "YES WE CAN" Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido leads a rally on January 13, 2019 after being briefly detained by intelligence agents, days after saying he would be willing to replace the increasingly isolated President Nicolas Maduro. CARABALLEDA, VENEZUELA (FILE - JANUARY 13, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, JUAN GUAIDO, ARRIVING AT RALLY, WALKING AMONGST CROWD / CROWD CHANTING (Spanish): "PRESIDENT" AND "YES WE CAN" GUAIDO WAVING, RAISING FIST TOWARDS CROWD GUAIDO ON STAGE SINGING ANTHEM WITH CROWD CROWD CHANTING (Spanish): "LIBERTY!" GUAIDO ON STAGE GREETING OTHER VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION FIGURES GUAIDO SPEAKING AT RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, JUAN GUAIDO, SAYING: "Here are the symbols of oppression. [POINTING TO MARKS ON HIS ARMS] But, here today in La Guaira are the symbols of courage, of resistance, of strength. And if they (Venezuelan government) want to send a message so that we would hide or take cover - here is the answer of the people, here we are!" GUAIDO SPEAKING AT RALLY Venezuela's opposition-run Congress on January 15, 2019 formally declares President Nicolas Maduro a "usurper," whose actions would be considered null and void after he was sworn for a disputed second term. CARACAS, VENEZUELA (FILE - JANUARY 15, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF VENEZUELAN CONGRESS VENEZUELAN FLAG FLAPPING IN WIND VARIOUS OF LEADER OF THE CONGRESS, JUAN GUAIDO, ARRIVING AT CONGRESS CONGRESS DURING SESSION GUAIDO SITTING DOWN TO START SESSION VARIOUS OF GUAIDO DURING SESSION CONGRESS DURING SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LEADER OF THE CONGRESS, JUAN GUAIDO, SAYING: "A historic agreement is approved, that I ask the secretary to send to the entire diplomatic corps accredited in our country, where this Congress assumes the powers that the constitution provides, in articles 233, 333 and 350 of our constitution, which allows us to advance clearly in the cessation of usurpation of the government of transition and of course towards a free election. May God bless Venezuela and our congressmen who gallantly assume a historical responsibility in our country."
- Embargoed: 16th January 2020 23:59
- Keywords: Donald Trump Guaido Hugo Chavez Juan Guaido Marquez Nicolas Maduro Russia Sergei Lavrov Tayyip Erdogan Trump Turkey Turkish President Erdogan Venezuelan PresidentPopular Will party Voluntad Popular
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA006BUHZ5MV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS NOTE - GUIDO FILE FOOTAGE CONTINUES IN EDIT 8357-VENEZUELA-POLITICS/GUAIDO PROFILE-PART 2
Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared interim president Juan Guaido prepares for re-election as National Assembly leader on Sunday (January 5).
Guaido went from a virtual unknown in Venezuelan politics to the country's most-watched figure, assuming the presidency of the opposition-controlled congress and briefly being detained by the secret police.
In January last year, the 35-year-old from the South American country's hardscrabble Caribbean coast thrust himself onto the international stage with the boldest challenge to socialist President Nicolas Maduro's rule in years: he declared himself interim president, a move swiftly recognised by the United States, Canada and many Latin American countries.
His rapid ascent has raised hopes that he could fill a leadership vacuum in Venezuela's notoriously divided opposition, which has failed in several attempts to oust Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez. Many of its most prominent figures have been jailed, exiled or barred from seeking public office.
The salsa-loving baseball fan has animated the opposition's upper-class base and won over many working-class Venezuelans fed up with the country's hyperinflationary economic collapse, who have taken to the streets demanding Maduro step down.
Yet Guaido still needs the backing of the armed forces to achieve his goals.
He has proposed an amnesty for members of the military but said members of the Maduro government who committed human rights violations should be punished.
Guaido took the helm of the National Assembly on January 5 2019 with a call for the armed forces to recognise Maduro as a "usurper" after his May 2018 re-election vote, widely viewed as fraudulent.
The eldest of six children from a working-class family in the coastal state of Vargas, Guaido survived a devastating 1999 mudslide that posed one of the earliest tests to Chavez's 14-year rule.
He went on to study engineering but became involved in politics while in college and studied political management at George Washington University in the United States. He is married with a young daughter.
Representing Vargas for Popular Will, Guaido assumed the parliament's leadership as part of a power-sharing agreement between Venezuela's main opposition parties. He has said little about what policies he would pursue as president, but Popular Will describe themselves as centre-left social democrats.
Guaido was dragged out of his car on the highway and detained by intelligence agents on January 14, 2019 but was swiftly released.
Government officials said the officers responsible would be punished.
Guaido has said he is not afraid of being arrested, boosting his popularity among Venezuelans tired with Maduro.
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