Colombian police confirmed on Thursday that the two people seen alongside U.S.-backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido in newly surfaced photos are two high-ranking militants from the Los Rastrojos armed militant group who are actively involved in illicit drug trade.
The police said that two males seen in two different photos with Guaido are militants aliased "El Brother" and "El Menor."
Wilfredo Canizares — director of the Fundación Progresar, a non-governmental organization focusing on human rights — shared the photos on Twitter, where they quickly spread.
Canizares said that the drug lords played a key role in helping coordinate the entry of Guaido into Colombia in late February.
"Los Rastrojos" (The Leftovers) is a violent criminal gang that controls several smuggling routes and is said to be responsible for moving tons of cocaine into the United States every year.
