In a move to further U.S. support for Juan Guaidó against Nicolas Maduro, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave the Venezuelan opposition leader control of the country's assets in U.S. bank accounts, The New York Times reported.
"This certification will help Venezuela's legitimate government safeguard those assets for the benefit of the Venezuelan people," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told the Times.
Backed by the U.S. State Department, Guaidó declared himself interim president last Wednesday over the Maduro, an authoritarian leader whose election to a second six-year term last year has been declared "illegitimate" by U.S. leadership.
Guaidó was certified by Pompeo to handle the country's assets Friday, in a move announced at State on Tuesday.
Seeking to maintain order against Guaidó, Tarek William Saab, Venezuela's attorney general, has initiated an investigation into the opposition leader for "violent acts," according to the report.
"These acts are undermining the peace of the nation," Saab declared, per the Times.
U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton then doubled down against Maduro and Saab via Twitter.
"We denounce the illegitimate former Venezuelan Attorney General's threats against President Juan Guaidó," Bolton tweeted Tuesday afternoon. "Let me reiterate – there will be serious consequences for those who attempt to subvert democracy and harm Guaidó."
Also Tuesday, the State Department issued a red alert for Americans traveling in Venezuela.