Former Argentine President Carlos Menem ended a one-year exile in Chile and returned home Wednesday after a judge ruling dismissing an arrest warrant against him became effective.

Menem flew to his hometown La Rioja where he was received by hundreds of his followers.

He was accompanied by his brother Senator Eduardo Menem, his nephew Representative Adrian Menem, retired general Andres Antonietti and ex-mayor of Escobar, Luis Patti.

His Chilean wife, former Miss Universe Cecilia Bolocco, will join him Friday with their nine-month-old son.

Menem's return came after a decision by Argentine Judge Nestor Oyarbide became official Monday, dismissing a warrant for the arrest of the former president, who was wanted for questioning on a probe involving multimillion-dollar accounts in Switzerland.

Menem has lived in Chile for a year to avoid the arrest warrant.

Menem, 74, who heads the opposition Justicialista Party, said recently that he would like to run for the presidency once again in 2007. Menem governed Argentina for two terms, from 1989 to 1999.

Source: Xinhua