VENEZUELA

Venezuela 'politically polarised' on Guaido return

It’s currently carnival period in Venezuela, which means several days of national holiday in the country. People from Caracas, especially in the slums, tend to pour out to relax on the beaches along the nearby coast. But there is a very specific atmosphere there, as Juan Guaido, the self-declared opposition leader, has announced that he will return to Venezuela and has called for large opposition protests on Monday and Tuesday. Guaido's reappearance in Venezuela would pose an immediate challenge to embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who will have to decide whether to arrest him for defying a travel ban -- thereby provoking strong international condemnation -- or allow him to enter unmolested, which would undermine his authority.