Juan Guaidó Announces Return to Venezuela

Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader in Venezuela who traveled to Latin America for a 10-day trip despite a travel ban, announced his return to the country and called on his fellow citizens to hold nationwide protests on Monday. Guaidó, recognized as the interim president of Venezuela by over 50 countries, left the country on February 23 despite a government order prohibiting him from doing so. After attending the 'Lima Group' meeting in Colombia's capital, he traveled to Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Ecuador. Guaidó announced his decision to return to the country on Sunday, March 3, first via a tweet and then in a video. According to analysts cited by AFP, Guaidó's return poses a serious challenge for Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, and whether he is arrested or not will have consequences for Maduro. In his tweet, Guaidó not only announced his return but also urged the people of Venezuela to mobilize nationwide at 11 PM on Monday (Tehran time). In a video released with his wife, Guaidó stated that if Maduro's government officials 'try to take us hostage, it will be one of their last mistakes.' No response has yet been reported from Nicolás Maduro or his government regarding this matter. However, a few days ago, Maduro stated in an interview with ABC that Guaidó cannot just come and go; a court order prohibited him from leaving the country, and he must comply with the judicial ruling. The United States has warned Maduro about the potential consequences of Guaidó's arrest, with John Bolton, the White House National Security Advisor, stating on Fox News that 'if Maduro takes such a step, I think he has hastened his own departure.' Guaidó and a significant portion of Venezuela's political institutions and forces are calling for Nicolás Maduro to step down, but the Venezuelan military remains loyal to Maduro. Despite protests against the severe economic crisis over the past year, a new wave of unrest in Venezuela has surged since May following Maduro's re-election in the presidential elections. The issue of humanitarian aid entering Venezuela has turned into a political battle between Maduro and Guaidó in the past month. Maduro, who has always referred to Guaidó as 'America's puppet,' has described humanitarian aid as 'a tool of American influence and aggression.' Guaidó's call for nationwide protests comes at a time when public celebrations and carnival events are taking place in several Latin American countries, including Venezuela.