Caracas: Venezuela’s Supreme Court has banned opposition leader Juan Guaido from leaving the country and frozen his bank accounts, media reports said. The court, which is loyal to President Nicolas Maduro, quickly approved the measures on Tuesday after Attorney General Tarek William Saab asked it to take “precautionary measures” against Guaido, the BBC reported. The opposition leader “is prohibited from leaving the country” until a preliminary probe is completed on the “harm causede to peace in the republic”, Justice Maikel Moreno said.
As leader of the National Assembly, Guaido has immunity from prosecution unless subject to a ruling by the apex court. Speaking to journalists, the opposition leader reportedly said the moves were “nothing new”. “I’m not dismissing the threats, the persecution at this time, but we’re here, we’re continuing to do our jobs,” he added. The court decision comes shortly after the US said it had handed control of Venezuela’s US bank accounts to Guaido, whom it now regarded as the country’s legitimate president, the BBC said.
