Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó will be barred from holding further public office for 15 years, the maximum allowed by law, the state financial controller has announced.
Comptroller Elvis Amoroso said Mr. Guaidó’s personal financial statements contained inconsistencies.
Mr. Guaidó, head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared himself interim president in January.
He has the support of more than 50 countries, including the US.
The BBC reports that the decision to stop Mr. Guaidó from holding office would come into force if he decided to put himself up for re-election at the end of his current term in the National Assembly.
Mr. Guaidó rejected Mr. Amoroso’s announcement, saying that he was “not auditor general”.
“The legitimate congress is the only one with power to designate an auditor general,” he said.
Last week, Mr. Guaidó’s chief of staff Roberto Marrero, 49, was accused of planning “acts of sabotage” against officials after being arrested.
Venezuela’s Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said that “weapons and foreign currency” were found by intelligence services during a raid on his home.
Mr. Guaidó said the security forces had committed an “illegal and unconstitutional” act, adding that he believed the items allegedly found at Mr. Marrero’s home had been planted there.
With the backing of the Trump administration, Mr. Guaidó has been leading calls for Mr. Maduro to stand down as president as discontent with his socialist regime grows.
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Mr. Marrero’s arrest has provoked international condemnation, with the US, the European Union and Latin American nations all demanding his immediate release.
On Friday, Sigal Mandelker, a top US sanctions official, said the United States intended to put “maximum pressure” on the Venezuelan government.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini also condemned the action against Mr. Guaidó.
“Such a political decision without regard to due process is yet another demonstration of the arbitrary nature of judicial procedures in the country,” said Ms. Mogherini.
She said the EU would allocate a further 30m euros (£26m) in emergency funds to assist Venezuelans most in need.
Mr. Guaidó and Mr. Maduro each claim to be the constitutional president of Venezuela.
Shortly after Mr. Guaidó declared himself interim leader, his assets were frozen and the Supreme Court, dominated by government loyalists, placed a travel ban on him.
But the 35-year-old opposition leader defied that ban last month when he toured Latin American countries to garner support.
Last week, the chief prosecutor said it had asked the Supreme Court to investigate Mr. Guaidó for allegedly sabotaging the country’s electrical system in the wake of this month’s power cuts.