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A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 5 March 2019

Guaido returns to Venezuela, calls for more street protests

By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA Guaido, who had ignored
Associated Press an official ban on foreign
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) travel to leave Venezuela
— A defiant Juan Guaido last month.
returned home to Venezu- Guaido visited Colombia,
ela on Monday despite Brazil, Paraguay, Argen-
concerns the opposition tina and Ecuador over the
leader might be detained past week — all countries
and urged supporters at a that support his claim to be
rally to intensify their cam- Venezuela’s interim presi-
paign to topple the gov- dent and call on Maduro to
ernment of President Nico- resign so that the country
las Maduro. can prepare for free and
The 35-year-old leader of fair elections.
Venezuela’s National As- “The international commu-
sembly showed off his nity must unite and push for
passport before climb- the end of Maduro’s brutal
ing onto scaffolding and regime and the peaceful
pumping his fist during the restoration of democracy
demonstration in Caracas, in Venezuela,” U.S. Secre-
delighting euphoric follow- tary of State Mike Pompeo
ers whose efforts to oust said. Colombian President
Maduro have fallen short in Venezuelan Congress President Juan Guaido, an opposition leader who declared himself interim Ivan Duque tweeted that
a nation gripped by a hu- president, shows his passport to supporters as he leads a rally demanding the resignation of Guaido’s homecoming
manitarian crisis. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, March 4, 2019. was part of the “irreversible
There were few security Associated Press path that Venezuela has
forces nearby and no im- nents in the past, jailing or his return. “We hope there for massive protests on Sat- taken toward democracy.”
mediate comment from driving into exile top oppo- won’t be any escalation urday and said he would U.N. Secretary-General An-
Maduro’s government, sition leaders. and that parliamentary im- meet Tuesday with pub- tonio Guterres called for di-
which has tried to divert the “We know the risks that we munity is respected,” said lic employee unions con- alogue by all parties to end
public’s attention to carni- face. That’s never stopped Spanish Ambassador Jesus trolled by the government the political impasse.
val festivities Monday and us,” Guaido said after ar- Silva Fernandez. of Maduro, who retains the “We obviously remain very
Tuesday. While thousands riving at Venezuela’s main The United States and some support of military gener- concerned about the situ-
of Venezuelans heeded airport and going through 50 other countries have als despite the desertion of ation in Venezuela,” U.N.
Guaido’s call for protests immigration checks. He recognized Guaido as the hundreds of lower-ranking spokesman Stephane Du-
coinciding with his return, was greeted by top dip- legitimate leader of Ven- military personnel. jarric said. “It’s important
many wonder whether he lomats from the United ezuela, arguing that Mad- “The regime must under- from the secretary-gener-
can maintain momentum States, Germany, Spain uro’s re-election last year stand, the dictatorship must al’s viewpoint that all ac-
against a government that, and other countries who was invalid because popu- understand... that we’re tors — all political actors
while under extreme pres- possibly hoped to head off lar opposition candidates stronger than ever. We’ll in Venezuela and abroad
sure itself, has relentlessly any move to detain Guai- were barred from running. continue protesting, we’ll — make all efforts to lower
cracked down on oppo- do by bearing witness to At the rally, Guaido called continue mobilizing,” said tensions.”q

In Brazil, Carnival pays tribute to slain councilwoman

rights who was killed almost to write about the slain maker Rodrigo Amorim,
a year ago. councilwoman and Brazil’s who last year showed off a
Mangueira, one of the old- forgotten history was all the street sign honoring Franco
est samba schools in Rio, more important this year as that he and another candi-
included Franco in a pa- Brazilians recently elected date had broken, told the
rade honoring Brazil’s hid- a far-right president who newspaper O Globo that
den heroes, those that his- has repeatedly praised the he was disappointed the
tory books often forget or 1964-1985 dictatorship. samba school included the
choose not to mention. Franco grew up in Rio’s councilwoman in its pa-
Franco’s partner, Monica Mare favela and was black rade.
Benicio, was expected to and homosexual - a rarity “Just as universities are
take part in the parade. in Brazil’s overwhelmingly absolutely dominated by
“Marielle (Franco) was a white and male political this cultural dictatorship
woman, a fighter, from the spectrum. She was shot to that the left is trying to im-
favela, who overcame in- death March 14 along with pose, unfortunately it has
A woman wears a crown with the words “Marielle present,” in equality, went to university, her driver. To date, authori- also reached the samba
honor of slain councilwoman Marielle Franco, during the “Se was elected councilwom- ties have not arrested the school,” Amorim told o Glo-
Benze que da” block party which she created in 2005, in the an, fought for minorities, culprit. bo.
Mare slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. denounced and investi- Franco “was not only a hu- Amorim, who belongs to
Associated Press gated public power,” said man being, it was an idea, the same far-right PSL party
By DIANE JEANTET as one of city’s top samba Deivid Domenico, who co- a force,” Domenico said. that brought President Jair
Associated Press schools pays tribute Mon- wrote Mangueira’s samba “She became a fighting Bolsonaro to power in the
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Rio day to slain councilwoman anthem for this year’s Car- flag.” last election, did not re-
de Janeiro’s samba com- Marielle Franco, an activist nival. The move did not please spond to emailed requests
petition is getting political for gays and Afro-Brazilian For the composer, the need everyone. Rio state law- for comment.q