Venezuelan assembly strips Guaido of immunity

By Lokman Ilhan</p> <p>CARACAS (AA) – Venezuela’s Constituent Assembly stripped opposition leader Juan Guaido of his parliamentary immunity Tuesday, paving the way for his prosecution and possible arrest.</p> <p>The assembly convened to discuss a request by Maikel Moreno, president of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ), to strip Guaido of his immunity from prosecution. It was unanimously approved by all lawmakers.</p> <p>Guaido, the leader of Venezuela’s National Assembly, was charged with violating a travel ban imposed on him for visiting Colombia.</p> <p>He traveled there a day before an attempt was made to bring U.S.-provided “humanitarian aid” into Venezuela on Feb. 23.</p> <p>He later visited Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Ecuador before returning to Venezuela on March 4, having no difficulty in re-entering the country.</p> <p>Venezuela has been rocked by protests since Jan. 10, when Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition.</p> <p>Tensions flared when Guaido declared himself acting president on Jan. 23 — a move supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.</p> <p>Turkey, Russia, China, Iran, Bolivia and Mexico have thrown their weight behind Maduro.</p> <p>*Writing by Sena Guler