Carrie Khan

The 80-year-old Lula was in Rio's VIP box Sunday night until nearly dawn watching Carnaval.

The Niteroibe Samba School chronicled his life from a childhood in poverty to three times being elected president.

One float pitted a figure of him against a clown, a reference to former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.

Polls show this year's election will be tight, especially if Lula faces Bolsonaro's son Flavio, who has his father's endorsement.

Carrie Conn, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro.

Diplomatic relations between the U.S.

and Venezuela were only recently reestablished after U.S.

military forces captured former leader Nicolás Maduro on January 3rd.

Trump traveled to the Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina to meet with special forces involved in the operation.

He told troops, quote, the entire world saw what the full military might of the U.S.

can do and ensured, quote, we are feared by potential enemies around the world.

As he has repeatedly done in recent weeks, Trump said interim President Delce Rodriguez, who was left in place to run the country, is doing a fine, fine job.

Carrie Khan, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro.

Guanipa is one of the closest allies of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

He had been in prison more than eight months and was among at least 30 people released over the weekend, according to the human rights group Foro Penal.

Immediately after his release, Guanipa met with families of those still jailed.

Hours later, relatives and Machado say at least 10 heavily armed men dressed in civilian clothing had violently abducted Guanipa.

In a statement, Venezuela's attorney general says Guanipa had not complied with the conditions of his release and that he would be placed

under house arrest.

Despite recent releases by the government advocates say hundreds of political opponents remain in Venezuela's prisons.