Self-proclaimed Venezuela’s “interim president”, Juan Guaido, could face up to 30 years in prison after his return to Venezuela from Colombia, where he traveled in defiance of the travel ban imposed earlier by the Venezuelan Supreme Court.

In Bogota, Colombia, opposition leader, and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaidó announces national mobilization to support his return to Venezuela, where he could face a lengthy prison term

“He is a person hiding from justice. What is happening with runaways, who are reentering the country and found by the authorities? They must be caught and sent to a prison … He may face up to 30 years in jail”, said the Deputy Judge of the Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice Juan Carlos Valdez.

The judge added that the Court was currently analyzing the possible crimes committed by Guaido.

At the same time, Guaido, who is currently in Colombia, told Colombian broadcaster NTN24 that he was going to return to Venezuela, despite the risk of being arrested.

In January, Venezuelan Prosecutor General Tarek Saab announced his intention to conduct an investigation into Guaido and asked the Supreme Court to implement a travel ban.

President Nicolas Maduro has called Guaido “US puppet” and repeatedly accused the United States of attempting to organize a coup in Venezuela.

On 22 February, Guaido arrived in Cucuta, the Colombian border city with Venezuela, where the humanitarian aid from the United States and a number of other countries was awaiting delivery into Venezuela.

Maduro has refused the aid, sparking protests for and against the decision.

While the attempt to forcefully bring the aid into Venezuela failed, Guaido stayed in Colombia to take part in Monday’s meeting of the Lima Group in Bogota, that included the presence of U.S. Vice-president Mike Pence.

President Maduro and Vice-president Delcy Rodriguez have dismissed allegations of a humanitarian crisis in the country, noting that international law provides for deliveries of foreign humanitarian aid only in cases of natural disasters and armed conflicts.

Venezuela is currently going through a socio-political crisis, following the self-proclamation as ‘interim president’ of Venezuela on January 23 by the leader of the opposition-controlled national assembly, Juan Guaido.

On January 5, Guaido was elected president of Venezuela’s Legislative Assembly, while on January 10, Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a second presidential term after winning the May 2018 election.