Venezuela: The Homecoming Showdown

Juan Guaidó, the Venezuelan opposition leader whom most Western countries now recognize as president, says he's coming home.

Last week he defied a court order by crossing into Colombia to lead an ultimately failed attempt to bring humanitarian aid into Venezuela. Yesterday, he flew from Bogotá to Brasilia to see Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro.

But his imminent return to Venezuela sets up the next big showdown with President Nicolas Maduro, who still controls the government and armed forces. The stakes are high for both men.

Guaidó knows that once he's in Venezuela he could be arrested. And he also knows that after the aid failed to reach his followers, he'll have to show them he still has good ideas than can ease Venezuela's suffering and end the political crisis.

Maduro, for his part, knows that imprisoning Guaidó or refusing him entry into Venezuela could provoke the opposition as well as Guaidó's foreign supporters.

Either way, we're keeping a close eye on the arrivals hall at Simón Bolívar International Airport.

Historical Perspective: When Caracas shook

We close this whirlwind week with some relevant Venezuelan history.

This week marks thirty years since the so-called Caracazo (pictured above) an outburst of violent protests and repression that rocked the Venezuelan capital after a cash-strapped government tried to impose unpopular economic reforms on a frustrated public. In the anger and bitter polarization that followed, a charismatic young army officer named Hugo Chávez saw an opportunity to turn popular anger into a political force. Ten years later, he would be president.

As a Spanish-speaking Shakespeare might say: "La rueda ha dado la vuelta…"

More from GZERO Media

Across North America and Europe, blackouts are becoming more common, often hitting when the demand peaks or when the weather turns extreme. The surging demand for power and new energy sources are putting pressure on the energy systems. Meeting today’s energy needs takes a flexible, pragmatic, “all-of-the-above” approach — drawing on all fuels and technologies. Learn how Enbridge is delivering reliable, affordable energy in uncertain times.

Amir Seaid Iravani premanent representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran speaks during the UN Security Council on June 24, 2025 in New York City.
John Lamparski via Reuters Connect

It’s not clear yet how much the US attack on Iran's nuclear sites this weekend set back the Islamic Republic's ability to develop atomic weapons, but experts say the airstrikes almost certainly threw a bomb into something larger: the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.

A pie graph showing the percentage of Americans in favor of having a third major political party.
Ico Oliveira

Remember when Elon Musk threatened to start his own political party during his spat with Donald Trump? It’s unclear how many Americans would switch their political affiliation to a Musk-run party specifically, but a plurality agree that they’d like another major political party to rival the Democrats and Republicans.

Open Call is the heart of Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to US manufacturing, supporting products made, grown or assembled in America. The pitch event represents a unique opportunity for selected entrepreneurs to meet face-to-face with Walmart merchants and earn a chance to get their products on store shelves nationwide. Last year, finalists from across the country represented 48 states, with entrepreneurs from over half these states receiving deals. It’s all a part of Walmart’s investment in American jobs and communities. Learn more about Walmart’s annual Open Call.

Last week, Microsoft released its 2025 Responsible AI Transparency Report, demonstrating the company’s sustained commitment to earning trust at a pace that matches AI innovation. The report outlines new developments in how we build and deploy AI systems responsibly, how we support our customers, and how we learn, evolve, and grow. It highlights our strengthened incident response processes, enhanced risk assessments and mitigations, and proactive regulatory alignment. It also covers new tools and practices we offer our customers to support their AI risk governance efforts, as well as how we work with stakeholders around the world to work towards governance approaches that build trust. You can read the report here.