President Chávez salutes "El Pueblo" from the balcony at Miraflores upon his return from Havana in time for the 200th anniversary of Venezuela's independence from Spanish rule.

Chávez hugs his two daughters while greeting thousands of Venezuelans gathered at Miraflores to give him a hero's welcome on July 4th.

Update: Venezuelan Military Marches for 200th Anniversary of Independence from Spain (Photo Essay)

On the eve of the July 5 celebrations of Venezuelan independence from the Spanish, dressed in his army green uniform and red berét, President Chávez is delivering his return home greetings and an inspiring challenge to tens of thousands of Chávistas - "the Red Tsunami" gathered in the plaza at Miraflores in Caracas to meet him. He's in great form and with his powerful voice and metered affect revealing the Chávez we've all come to love and follow. The loving Venezuelan people are continuously breaking into our favorite chant, "Uh! Ah! Chávez No Se Va!" One by one, he is addressing every segment of Venezuelan society from the indigenous to the Andeans to Amazonia and "El Pueblo" in the cities, towns and countryside. To roaring applause from a dancing, crying happy sea of red, he is asking Venezuelans to continue to love and dedicate themselves to the future of the country and the Bolivarian Revolution. What a man! What a leader! All the dire and cynical predictions by the opposition and western media about his inability to return from Havana and lead the country again have been turned on their head.

Viva La Patria! Victoria Siempre! Viva Chávez!!!