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Thousands pack streets of central Caracas to celebrate return of populist president following month abroad Venezuela’s showman president Hugo Chávez made a dramatic return home yesterday, addressing thousands of ecstatic supporters in Caracas with the battle-cry: “The return has begun”. Hordes of Chávez supporters had flocked onto the streets outside the city’s Miraflores Palace to welcome back their leader, following his surprise return from Cuba in the early hours of Monday. At just after 5.35pm local time a sea of red-clad supporters erupted in cheers and applause as Chávez stepped out onto the Palace’s “balcón del pueblo” or “people’s balcony” wearing a red beret and green army uniform. Hoisting his country’s red, blue and yellow flag into the air, Chávez launched into a rendition of the Venezuelan national anthem before shouting: “Viva Venezuela! Viva the Bolivarian Revolution! Viva the Venezuelan People… Viva life! Viva Chávez!” “We will win this battle for life, for the fatherland and for the revolution,” Chávez told thousands of flag-waving supporters, speaking just days after admitting he was being treated for cancer in Cuba. “We will overcome all of these difficulties,” he added from the iconic veranda, the setting for numerous key addresses since he came to power in 1999. Chávez’s sudden return, nearly one month after he left the country, came on the eve of Venezuela’s independence celebrations that kick off on Tuesday. Within hours of Chávez setting foot on Venezuelan soil, allies from his United Socialist Party (PSUV) were appearing on television urging supporters to gather outside the city’s Miraflores Palace. “We have so much to celebrate,” said Blanca Eekhout, the vice-president of Venezuela’s National Assembly. “Let’s celebrate independence and the happiness of having our president back.” Chávez was now “recovering and preparing for the battles ahead,” she added. Throughout Monday, state-controlled television churned out infomercials for the afternoon address, accompanied by a chirpy pop-rock soundtrack and the catch-line “pa’lante comandante” – “onwards, commander”. “Welcome back president,” bellowed the commercial’s voiceover. “The whole of Venezuela receives you with happiness.” Across town the refrain was repeated, as faithful Chavistas celebrated their president’s “resurrection”. “I feel great joy because Chávez is back in his country,” said Iris Teran, a 27-year-old secretary who was among the crowds. “We’ve come to show him our revolutionary support. We have all prayed so that he can continue in his Bolivarian revolution”. Nelson Leon, a 68-year-old headmaster, added his voice to the chorus. “My wife woke me up to tell me he was back, but I thought she was lying. I feel the same joy as all my compatriots to see our president back and in good health.” Rafael Leonides, 51, said he had prayed for Chávez’s return. “We were feeling orphaned.” Political analysts had harboured suspicions that Chávez might attempt a high-profile homecoming to coincide with Venezuela’s independence celebrations on Tuesday – although those chances appeared to have faded last Thursday following Chávez’s admission he had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer. Javier Corrales, a Venezuela expert from Amherst College in Massachusetts, described Monday’s dramatic, pre-dawn return as “typical Chávez.” “He is a micro-manager par excellence, convinced of his own indispensability. Thus a premature return is less surprising from Chávez than a prolonged absence,” said Corrales. “Governance in Venezuela might not necessarily improve with an ailing president back in residence, but at least the internal confusion and posturing within his ruling party will ease, for now,” he added. With a 2012 presidential election looming on the horizon and domestic headaches growing, Chávez needs to recover, and fast. Corrales said Chávez faced “a tough scenario” back home, with an ongoing energy crisis and economic woes presenting a treacherous run-up to the election. “Until his health improves, Chávez’s best hope to prevail in the forthcoming elections may be to win enough sympathy votes,” Corrales said. Venezuela Hugo Chávez Cuba Tom Phillips guardian.co.uk