Video: Juan Guaido Chased Out of Venezuelan Restaurant as Chairs Go Flying Once Again
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In early 2019, opposition politico Juan Guaido was tapped by the US government to serve as the face of an attempted coup effort against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro shortly after his reelection victory. However, despite repeated efforts to imprint a foothold, Guaido has largely sunk into political irrelevance.
Once the face of the US-backed effort to oust the Maduro administration, opposition figure Juan Guaido was handed a fresh dose of outrage on Saturday by a group of demonstrators who ambushed him at a local restaurant.
Local media outlets reported that the incident took place at the Moringa restaurant in San Carlos, the capital of Venezuela's Cojedes state. Video of the disastrous encounter shows individuals throwing everything at Guaido and his security but the kitchen sink.
ATENCIÓN | Fuerte escrache a @jguaido mientras estaba en un restaurante con miembros de su partido: lo sacaron a empujones. Créditos al autor. pic.twitter.com/AnUVzL2qiv
— Érika Ortega Sanoja (@ErikaOSanoja) June 11, 2022
Le dieron con todo al bobolongo mamagüevo, ya la gente no está pa tanto guabineo... "total respaldo popular" 😂👍pic.twitter.com/yOeONhQInY
— 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕕 ☭ (@DAVlD53) June 11, 2022
At one point in the recordings, Guaido can be seen with his shirt nearly ripped off as his security detail works to escort him to a nearby vehicle and whisk him away from the scene.
Additional video managed to capture the collection of dings and cracked windows on Guaido's escape car.
#VIDEO Así quedó la camioneta de @jguaido luego de que colectivos chavistas lo emboscaran a tiros en Cojedes. pic.twitter.com/oQF82YJC4p
— NotiAhora | VE 🇻🇪 (@NotiAhoraVzla) June 11, 2022
Guaido had aired his arrival to the city hours before chairs were flung at him, noting on Twitter that he was in the city to "consolidate unity" and "defeat a regime."
In the hours that followed news of Guaido's speedy exit from the restaurant, diplomat Brian Nichols, who serves as the US State Department's assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, relayed Washington's "deep concerns."
"This egregious attack risked lives; those responsible for the assault should be brought to justice," Nichols added.
The sentiment was similarly echoed by Carlos Vecchio, Guaido's supposed 'ambassador to the US.'
#EnZuliaConUnidad (?)
— REDRADIOVE (@RedRadioVe) June 4, 2022
Así terminó una asamblea de Juan Guaidó en el estado Zulia, entre militantes de Voluntad Popular. #3Jun pic.twitter.com/pKq0YgirCG
However, it should be noted that this was not the first incident in which Guaido or his cadre were on the receiving end of flying chairs during his not-so-welcomed comeback tour. The weekend prior, a shower of chairs were also thrown at a Guaido assembly in the Zulia state.
