Guaidó would continue to live in Caracas where he would earn his undergraduate degree in 2007 in industrial engineering from Andrés Bello Catholic University,[4][43] working at Compu Mall, a Venezuelan chain of computer and electronics stores, to pay for his studies.

[36][43] Guaidó stated, after "it became clear that under Chávez the country was drifting toward totalitarianism,"[41] he was part of the student-led political movement that protested the Venezuelan government's decision to shut down the independent television network RCTV[45] with other prominent student leaders in 2007—the year he graduated from Andrés Bello Catholic University.

[49] In the National Assembly, Guaidó investigated corruption cases involving the Maduro administration, and worked with independent organizations to recover money allegedly stolen from the Venezuelan public.

[86] Within minutes of Guaidó's swearing-in, the United States recognized him as president, followed shortly thereafter by Canada and other Latin American and European countries; Russia, China, Iran, Syria, Cuba and Turkey supported Maduro.

[89] In December 2018, Guaidó had traveled to Washington, D.C., where he met with OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro, and then on 14 January to Colombia for a Lima Group meeting, in which Maduro's mandate was rejected.

[90] Opposition members Carlos Vecchio, Julio Borges and Gustavo Tarre were consulted, and the Trump administration decision to back Guaidó formed on 22 January, according to El Pais.

[93] According to El País, the January Lima Group meeting and the stance taken by Canada, represented by Chrystia Freeland, were key factors leading Donald Trump, known for being an isolationist, to become involved in Venezuela.

[102] According to El País, Guaidó had help, along with National Assembly vice-presidents Stalin González and Edgar Zambrano, from young representatives of several political parties: Miguel Pizarro for humanitarian aid, Carlos Paparoni heading a Finance Commission, and Marialbert Barrios working with embassies.

[105] The National Assembly made more than a dozen[106][107][108] other diplomatic appointments, including Elisa Trotta Gamus to Argentina,[109][110] María Teresa Belandria to Brazil,[111] and Humberto Calderón Berti to Colombia.

[130][30][131] In a 30 January 2019 New York Times editorial, Guaidó stated that Venezuela had "one of the highest homicide rates in the world", prompting the "largest exodus in Latin American history" and that "Under Mr. Maduro at least 240 Venezuelans have been murdered at marches, and there are 600 political prisoners.

[141] Guaidó asked the Bank of England and British Prime Minister Theresa May not to return to the Maduro administration the £1.2 billion in gold reserves the UK holds for Venezuela, and to allow the opposition to access it instead.

[169] In an open assembly celebrating the anniversary of the 19 April 1810 date when the Venezuelan Independence Movement began, Guaidó offered the example that organized protests in Sudan led to the replacement of Omar al-Bashir, and called for "the greatest march" in history on 1 May, to "once and for all end this tragedy".

[171] On 30 April, Guaidó live-streamed a video of himself beside opposition leader Leopoldo López, freed from house arrest after being imprisoned for five years,[172] with the two flanked by members of the Venezuelan armed forces,[173] announcing the "final phase" of Operation Freedom.

[186] In the Miami Herald, Jim Wyss wrote that the "failed military uprising and a spate of violent but fruitless demonstrations have some wondering if Guaido, and the opposition at large, have what it takes to oust Maduro.

[187] Following the raid, Guaido's team initially said they had "no relationship with any company in the security and defense branch"; Rendón later admitted that an "exploratory agreement" with Silvercorp had been signed to seek the capture of members of Maduro's government.

[citation needed] In February 2020, the coordinator of the Lima Group, Hugo de Zela, announced that Argentina, Canada and Peru were attempting to negotiate with the Cuban government to find a solution to the crisis.

[22] On 5 August 2021, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that Mexico would host negotiations talks between Maduro and the opposition, including Guaidó, who stated that he would push for guarantees for what he called free and fair elections.

After the vote, Guaidó's role consisted in "defending democracy" and managing Venezuela's overseas assets, including oil refiner Citgo and $1 billion in gold lodged in the Bank of England.

"[249] In every demonstration summoned by Guaidó, there are numerous signs demanding the approval of Article 187(11) of the Constitution, which allows the National Assembly to authorize the deployment of foreign missions in Venezuela.

[265] In June 2019, the PanAm Post reported that Guaidó's representatives in Colombia had allegedly used money allocated to pay for defecting soldiers' accommodations for personal purchases,[266][267][268] such as "parties and nightclubs.

[269] Guaidó's presidential office dismissed Barrera and Rojas from their positions and requested the cooperation of the Colombian government, multilateral agencies and other organizations to clarify the events with an impartial investigation.

[290] A risk consultant for London's IHS Markit, Diego Moya-Ocampos, said to Bloomberg that "the regime is testing the international community and its repeated warnings against laying a hand on Maduro's rival [Guaidó] ... if they can't touch him, they'll go after those close to him.

"[292] According to The Wall Street Journal, Guaidó said he had received calls from security force officials disclaiming any involvement in the arrest; he replied that they need say no more, per the 2019 Venezuelan Amnesty Law; he said the "incident was indicative of divides within the Maduro regime.

"[294] Moreno said the request is based upon Guaidó having attended the Venezuela Aid Live concert on 23 February, after the Maduro administration prohibited him from leaving the country;[295] the trip was approved by the National Assembly.

"[j][298] Constitutional lawyer Juan Manuel Raffalli said there is no breach to prosecute unless the National Assembly first approves one; he said the proceedings were intended to distract attention from the protests and collapse of public services, referencing the 2019 Venezuelan blackouts.

[299] Bypassing the National Assembly,[298] Moreno sent Guaidó's file to the president of the ANC, Diosdado Cabello—described by BBC Mundo as "one of the most belligerent Chávez leaders against the opposition"—for the decision to be made by that body.

[295] On 2 April, in a speech before the ANC, member María León proposed creating popular tribunals for trying "traitors," which the Miami Herald compared to those used during the Cuban revolution;[296] she argued that "for me stripping him of his immunity is very little.

[312] On 13 June 2020, Juan Guaidó said the opposition would not recognize a "false" electoral body named by the Supreme Tribunal, while his allies pledged to extend the term of the current legislature.

[318][319] On 6 October 2023, Maduro's Attorney General Tarek William Saab issued an arrest warrant against Guaidó in Venezuela, announcing charges of money laundering, treason and usurping public functions against him, and accusing him of profiting from the funds of Monómeros [es] and Citgo.

[35] Senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Geoff Ramsey responded to the issued warrant stating "the government has now officially placed Guaidó in the same category as other exiled opposition politicians: effectively banned from returning but no longer relevant enough to be seen as untouchable.