Venezuelan opponent Juan Guaido returns to Caracas under hoots

"Guaido, fascist!" Shouted the workers of the Venezuelan state airline Conviasa, at the address of the young leader of the opposition, Juan Guaido, who returned to Caracas on Tuesday 11 February after his international tour of 23 days, which took him to Colombia, as well as to several European countries, Canada and the United States. A few moments earlier, he had been sprayed with soda by an employee of Conviasa. "This little show was predictable," reacted Juan Guaido with a laugh, according to a video posted on social networks. Members of the diplomatic corps also awaited the opponent.

The aura of the providential man who intends to dethrone President Nicolas Maduro has eroded over the months. A year ago, Juan Guaido proclaimed himself interim president of Venezuela, but nothing has changed since then. The opponent arrived at Maiquetia International Airport, which serves Caracas, which he then left in the midst of invective and scuffles between his supporters, including several members, and supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to journalists from AFP.

During his international tour, Juan Guaido was received at the White House by the American president, Donald Trump, who promised to break the "tyranny" of the Venezuelan socialist president Nicolas Maduro. The United States, the opponent's main ally, has warned Maduro's government that Juan Guaido must be able to return safely to Venezuela after his tour.

Call for new events

Authorities loyal to Nicolas Maduro did not take action against Juan Guaido on his return to Venezuela. But the opponent's press service announced on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday that one of his relatives, who was traveling with him, his uncle Juan Marquez, had "disappeared" after being "detained" by officials of the 'airport. Juan Guaido returned to Caracas on a flight by the Portuguese company TAP, coming from Lisbon, after having braved, for the second time, a ban on leaving the country issued by the authorities.

Juan Guaido then boarded a white vehicle in the direction of the capital. "We are in Caracas. I bring the commitment of the free world, ready to help us regain democracy and freedom (...) The moment has arrived," wrote the opponent on Twitter when landing his plane. "Today, more than ever, unity, confidence and political discipline are necessary," added the head of parliament, recognized as the interim president of Venezuela by nearly sixty countries, including the United States.

The self-proclaimed head of parliament then attended a public meeting where he called, in front of around 500 supporters, for new demonstrations against the government. "We came here to work (...) to do everything necessary to reach the goal" to overthrow Nicolas Maduro, he said.

Juan Guaido's fall in popularity

The regime’s number 2 Diosdado Cabello said on Monday that "nothing will happen" when Juan Guaido returns to Venezuela. "Nobody knows when the tourist walk is going to end. In truth, it does not affect us (...) Nothing will happen. It is nothing and nothing can cause nothing other than nothing" , said Cabello.

In one year, the popularity of the opposition leader, who has been trying unsuccessfully for more than a year to oust Nicolas Maduro, has dropped from 63% to 38.9%, according to Datanalisis. . The opponent's recent attempts to re-mobilize Venezuelans to protest against the government have been unsuccessful, as the country is going through a deep economic crisis that has forced 4.5 million people into exile.

>> Read: Venezuela: a year later, Juan Guaido is "at the head of a tired opposition"

With AFP

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