Maduro orders arrest of exiled lawyers leading the National Assembly

 Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro ordered the arrest of three exiled lawyers who were recently appointed to lead the National Assembly and supervise the country’s foreign assets. 

Last week, the Venezuelan opposition elected a new leadership for the National Assembly after they voted to remove the interim government led by Juan Guaido in December. 

The new all-female assembly is made up of president Dinorah Figuera and Vice Presidents Marianelah Fernandez and Auristela Vasquez, from the opposition parties Justice First, A New Era, and Democratic Action, respectively.

On Monday, Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced the arrest orders for Figura, Fernandez, and Vasquez on charges of treason, money laundering, and impersonating public officials. 

“Besides the arrest warrants, we request an international red alert, a measure of seizure and seizure of assets, blocking and immobilization of accounts, and a prohibition on transferring and encumbering," the Attorney General said, calling them a “gang of criminals.”

However, all three assembly members have lived abroad since 2015 after being harassed by the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro. Figura and Vasquez live in Spain, while Fernandez lives in the United States.

“We'll continue with even greater strength,” Figuera said on Monday during an online press conference, adding that the arrest order will not intimidate them. 

In 2019, the National Assembly stopped recognizing Maduro as the official president of the South American nation, after he barred several opponents from running against him in the presidential elections. In response, the assembly elected Guaido as the country’s interim president. More than 60 countries recognized him as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.