Juan Guaidó arrived in Caracas to roaring crowds, despite threats of arrest
Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader in Venezuela who declared himself interim president over Nicolás Maduro returned to Caracas on Monday, despite facing the risk of arrest.
Guaidó, who has been out of the country meeting with other South American leaders since Feb. 23, announced on Sunday that he would return to Venezuela this week and called for Venezuelans to organize a series of protests on Monday and Tuesday against Maduro.
Maduro's government imposed a travel ban on Guaidó, but the opposition leader ignored the warnings, touching down at Caracas' airport shortly after noon on Monday. Guaidó tweeted about his return and called for the mobilization of his supporters, some of whom — along with diplomats from Europe, Latin America, and the United States — greeted him at the airport. Others have already taken to the streets throughout the city.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Maduro had previously said Guaidó would "face justice" if he returned to the country, but the latter cleared immigration without any problems, perhaps because the government fears the potential backlash. "If the government has the opportunity, they will arrest him," Gloria Lara, 60, a middle school teacher said, per the Los Angeles Times. "But that would be the worst thing they could do. If that happens, we'd expect a scenario of strong protests and deaths."
Earlier on Monday, Vice President Mike Pence reaffirmed the United States' support of Guaidó and warned Maduro against taking any action. Tim O'Donnell
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
'Horror stories of women having to carry nonviable fetuses'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Haiti interim council, prime minister sworn in
Speed Read Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns amid surging gang violence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 26, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - teleprompter troubles, presidential immunity, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Trump criminal trial starts with rulings, reminder
Speed Read The first day of his historic trial over hush money payments was mostly focused on jury selection
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Parents of school shooter sentenced to 10-15 years
Speed Read Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first parents to be convicted in a US mass shooting
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Unlicensed dealers and black market guns
Speed Read 68,000 illegally trafficked guns were sold in a five year period, said ATF
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bankman-Fried gets 25 years for fraud
Speed Read Former "crypto king" Sam Bankman-Fried will report to federal prison
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking case
Speed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Goon Squad' cops sentenced for torturing 2 Black men
Speed Read The former Mississippi law enforcement officers pleaded guilty last year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Michigan shooter's dad guilty of manslaughter
speed read James Crumbley failed to prevent his son from killing four students at Oxford High School in 2021
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Shooting at Chiefs victory rally kills 1, injures 21
Speed Read Gunfire broke out at the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory parade in Missouri
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published