Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters
Juan Guaido, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly and lawmaker of the opposition party Popular Will (Voluntad Popular), speaks during a gathering in La Guaira, Venezuela January 13, 2019.
- Juan Guaidó has gone from an unknown figure to the face of the opposition movement in Venezuela in a decidedly short period.
- In late January, Guaidó declared himself interim president of Venezuela amid nationwide protests against Nicolas Maduro and his ruling Socialist party.
- The US and its allies have officially recognize Guaidó as Venezuela's leader, but he still faces a number of obstacles as he fights to take the country away from Maduro's authoritarian government.
Juan Guaidó was a relatively obscure figure until January 2019, when he began making headlines after declaring himself interim president of Venezuela amid nationwide protests against authoritarian president Nicolas Maduro.
The US and a number of its top allies have since lined up to support Guiadó's claim to power, but Maduro remains obstinate and still has the support of Venezuela's armed forces.
The governments of Russia and China are also sticking with Maduro, which gives him considerable leverage.
In short, Venezuela's future remains uncertain as Guiadó finds himself at the center of a power struggle that has grabbed the international community's attention.
Here's what you need to know about Guiadó and the chaotic situation that has engulfed Venezuela.