The United States today warned Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro he faces serious consequences for “egregious” acts of intimidation after opposition leader Juan Guaido revealed members of a feared special police squad had visited his family home.
Looking upset, Mr Guaido, 35, told how four agents from the police’s Special Action Force had arrived at the apartment building in Caracas and asked security guards stationed there for his wife Fabiana.
Mr Guaido, who has declared himself interim president and is backed by the US and most major European nations including Britain, had recently moved to a secret address as a security precaution.
He rushed home and emerged an hour later holding his daughter, named after Francisco de Miranda, a patriot who paved the way for Venezuela’s independence.
“The dictatorship thinks they will frighten us,” he said, before addressing the security forces directly: “I will hold you responsible for any intimidation of my baby, who is just 20 months old.”
In a statement on Twitter, Venezuela’s police denied that special agents had gone to Mr Guaido’s home, dismissing the claim as “totally FALSE.”
Mr Guaido’s account brought condemnation from Washington. “Such acts of intimidation are seen as very serious, very egregious by the United States,” a senior Trump administration official said.
“There will be consequences for those engaged in such acts, they will be held accountable and they will be missing this unique opportunity to move on.”
The official also referred to reports of a Russian plane allegedly landing in Caracas to ferry out gold from the crisis-hit country.
“We have seen some last-minute looting,” he said. Moscow, which along with China backs the Maduro regime, has denied the allegations.
The Venezuelan military is so far standing by the socialist president but the US official urged them to switch sides and accept an amnesty offer from Mr Guaido and his supporters, who are planning another street protest tomorrow.
Mr Maduro, who is in his second term after disputed elections, says Mr Guaido is heading a US-backed coup.
