Opposition leader Juan Guaido shrouded the route and timing of his return in secrecy amid concerns he might be detained by Venezuela's Government. Yet he breezed through airport immigration checks and brazenly called for the downfall of President Nicolas Maduro at a rally where the presence of security forces was minimal.
Guaido's homecoming yesterday was the latest chapter in his struggle with Maduro. And, while Guaido's presence is likely to add at least short-term momentum to his campaign for political change, Maduro has proven resilient and still commands the critical loyalty of top military officers.
Venezuela is gripped by a humanitarian crisis that is expected to worsen as US oil sanctions designed to put more pressure on Maduro take their toll. With both political factions holding firm amid increasing deprivation for Venezuelans, some analysts speculate that they might be considering negotiations on an end to the standoff.
The fact that Guaido was not detained, at least so far, reflects the pressure Maduro faces not to intervene, said Luis Vicente Leon, head of the Caracas-based polling firm Datanalisis. "But it seems to indicate the beginning of a negotiation, local and international, whose details are not yet clear," Leon said in a tweet.
Guaido, leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, said he would meet today with public employee unions in an attempt to secure their co-operation. He also called for big protests this weekend, a tactic that has sometimes been countered by Maduro loyalists with flag-waving rallies of their own. Guaido, who left Venezuela last month despite a court order banning him from foreign travel, visited Colombia, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Ecuador.
