Colombian President Gustavo Petro denied that the authorities of his country expelled Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who has declared himself president for nearly four years, and accused him of entering Colombia illegally. Guaidó stated that he was expelled from Colombia just hours after arriving in Bogotá to participate in a conference concerning his country, which is mired in crises. In response to Guaidó's statements, Petro wrote on Twitter: "Mr. Guaidó was not expelled. It is better that such lies do not appear in politics. Mr. Guaidó has an agreement to travel to the United States. We allowed it for humanitarian reasons despite his illegal entry into the country."
Guaidó, who was recognized by more than 50 countries as the interim president of Venezuela in 2019, was not invited to the conference in the Colombian capital, nor was President Nicolás Maduro. Guaidó noted in a statement that he crossed the border on foot from Venezuela to Colombia "like millions of Venezuelans before me," referring to the seven million Venezuelans who fled their country due to the economic and political crises. He hoped that "the summit would ensure Maduro's return to the negotiating table in Mexico and agree on a reliable timeline for conducting free and fair elections as a solution to the conflict."
Later, Guaidó posted a recording taken on a plane, saying: "After 60 hours on the road to reach Bogotá and flee from the dictatorship's persecution and challenge Maduro's regime, they expelled me from Colombia." Upon arriving in Miami, Florida, Guaidó told local media: "I am very concerned about my family and colleagues," noting that they had been threatened after he traveled to Colombia. The Colombian Foreign Ministry stated: "Guaidó, who arrived in Bogotá illegally, was taken to El Dorado Airport in Bogotá to depart on a commercial flight to the United States at night," adding that Guaidó "had purchased a travel ticket."
