Exiled Venezuelan Politician Arrested On Return

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Manuel Rosales, an exiled Venezuelan opposition politician, has been arrested upon his return from self-exile, six years after the government of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez charged him with corruption in 2009. Aljazeera reports:

He was expected to appear in a Caracas court later on Friday. Rosales, who served two terms as governor of the most populous state of Zulia, joins a list of opposition figures – including protest leader Leopoldo Lopez – who have been jailed by the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Hundereds of supporters gathered at a rally on Thursday to support him while the Intelligence agents took Rosales into custody after he landed in Zulia’s capital Maracaibo.  Upon landing back in Venezuela, Rosales made a statement over returning home.

“Hello to all the people on [street] 72 from the airport, the streets of Maracaibo, from Zulia, from all of Venezuela who are waiting for me with love, passion in search of the better horizon of a better future for Venezuela. I feel so excited that my heart is skipping a beat,” he said. Rosales’ arrival and detention may help mobilise the opposition in the run-up to the December 6 parliamentary elections, which opinion polls show will be among the toughest ever for the ruling Socialist Party and a test for Maduro.