A composite image of Juan Guaidó, the Venezuelan opposition leader who declared himself interim president; and President Nicolás Maduro, who refused to step down.Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters; Marco Bello/Reuters- Juan Guaidó, the Venezuelan opposition leader who declared himself interim president, has disappeared from the public eye.
- It comes as Venezuela's military leaders declared their support for embattled President Nicolás Maduro.
- Guaidó previously said he needed the support of the Venezuelan people, the international community, and the military to secure power. He does not have military support.
- Tens of thousands of people called on Maduro to step down this week. He has not budged.
Juan Guaidó, the Venezuelan opposition leader who declared himself interim president this week, appeared to be in hiding as the country's military leaders declared their support for his rival, President Nicolás Maduro.
The whereabouts of Guaidó, 35, remains unknown after he symbolically swore in as the country's interim president on Wednesday before tens of thousands of supporters, promising to remove Maduro from power.
Guaidó has said that he needs support from three groups: The Venezuelan people, the international community, and the military, The Associated Press reported.He hasn't passed all three tests yet.
The long list of countries supporting his claim - including the US, the EU, and most of Venezuela's neighbors - gives him a good argument that he has persuaded the international community.
It is difficult to measure Guaidó's popular support, though his rallies have pulled in huge crowds. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans marched in support of Guaidó this week.
Venezuela's military, however, is much more clear-cut. Its leaders have remained staunchly loyal to Maduro.
In this photo provided by the Miraflores Presidential Palace, President Nicolas Maduro stands at attention during a event marking the 81st anniversary of the National Guard, in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, August 4, 2019. Venezuela's government says several explosions heard at a military event were an attempted attack on President Maduro. Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said in a live broadcast that several drone-like devices with explosives detonated near the president. He said Maduro is safe and unharmed but that seven people were injured.Miraflores Presidential Palace via AP"Amnesty is on the table. Those guarantees are for all those who are willing to side with the Constitution to recover the constitutional order," he told Univision.
He appeared on a low-resolution video feed against a blank background, with poor-quality audio.
Juan Guaidó speaks to Univision from an undisclosed location on January 24, 2019.UnivisionVenezuelans protested against Maduro for days this week, describing his presidency as unconstitutional and fraudulent.
Under Maduro's rule, Venezuela is going through one of the world's worst economic crises, with hyperinflation, power cuts, and food shortages.
More than a million Venezuelans have fled the country into neighboring Colombia, with hundreds of thousands more in Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil.
A volunteer at the "Divina Providencia" migrant shelter distributes lunch to Venezuelan migrants, in Cucuta, Colombia, February 23, 2018. The food is cooked in several large vats, and the diocese says it offers an average of 1,000 meals a day.(AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)Shortly after Trump's announcement, Maduro told all US diplomats in the country to leave within three days. Washington has refused to comply.
The EU, Canada, and almost every country in Latin America also recognized Guaidó as president.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (L) presents China's President Xi Jinping with a replica of the sword of national hero Simon Bolivar during a ceremony at the National Pantheon in Caracas July 20, 2014.Carlos Garcia Rawlins/ReutersRussia, Turkey, Bolivia, and Cuba have explicitly declared support for Maduro.
China, Iran, and Syria condemned what they called US interference in Venezuela's domestic affairs.