Venezuelan authorities announced on Thursday their intention to arrest Juan Guaido, the opposition leader who was exiled to the United States, The New York Times reported. 

Attorney General Tarek William Saab revealed that the country's Public Ministry had formally requested a warrant for Guaido's arrest for misappropriating resources from the state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, for personal gain, resulting in a financial loss of $19 billion to the Venezuelan government.

Guaido vehemently denied any wrongdoing on his part, describing the accusations as being part of the "dictatorship's machine for promoting lies."

Esta noche en vivo por mis redes sociales respondo a las cobardes acusaciones de la Dictadura de Maduro.

Así funciona la máquina de promover mentiras de la dictadura: la POST-MENTIRA para lavar su propaganda y perseguir física y moralmente a la oposición venezolana:

1.… https://t.co/CGSq0CNzjk

— Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) October 6, 2023

The Venezuela Public Ministry issued a statement on Thursday, confirming the appointment of prosecutors tasked with issuing a warrant for Guaido's arrest. Additionally, the government plans to request Interpol to issue a "red notice" to governments worldwide, seeking the detention of the former opposition leader.

Read more: Guaido was not expelled despite his illegal entry to Colombia: Petro

Juan Guaido made a name for himself as an "anti-authoritarian" activist in the West by declaring himself the country's interim leader. Last year, his fellow opposition members dissolved his interim government.

He left Venezuela for Colombia in April and flew to the United States. Hence, Guaidoe claimed that he was expelled by the Colombian government.

Read more: Venezuela slams Guyana for violating Geneva Agreement