HAPLESS Venezuelan political outcast Juan Guaido was surrounded by angry crowds chanting “fascist” while ripping his shirt at Caracas International Airport today after returning from a tour of the US and Europe.

Hundreds packed the terminal building, with Mr Guaido jostled by Venezuelans frustrated by his continued attempts to undermine and overthrow the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

A visibly shaken Mr Guaido had his shirt torn in the scuffles that broke out after his return to the country after seeking international support for his bid to be crowned president of Venezuela.

Later he addressed a minuscule crowd in one of the capital’s wealthiest suburbs as he called for street protests.

“We came to work and leave the rest to do what is necessary to accomplish the goal” of ousting of Mr Maduro, he told those gathered.

He implied that he had secured overseas backing in his battle to overthrow the democratically elected government.

Mr Guaido did not give details, but hinted at further economic sanctions.

“There are things we cannot talk about […] because we are confronting a dictatorship,” he said.

Mainstream news organisations insist on playing up the support for the increasingly desperate opponent of the Venezuelan government. 

While more than 50 countries recognise him as the country’s interim leader, he has been rejected by the Venezuelan people and the military, which has pledged loyalty to Mr Maduro.

Even the Venezuelan opposition ousted him from his post as president of the National Assembly, branding him “a dream that turned into a nightmare” after a failure to garner any significant internal support.

Mr Maduro urged his supporters to concentrate on defending Venezuela and building the Bolivarian revolution at a rally attended by thousands in the capital.

“Let’s not get distracted by stupidities, by dummies, by traitors to the homeland,” he said.