In the midst of a serious political crisis in Venezuela, authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro Christmas by almost three months. “It is September and it already smells like Christmas. As a thank you to the fighting people, I will bring Christmas forward to October 1st by decree,” Maduro said in a television program. Christmas will come with “peace, joy and security.”
It is not the first time that Maduro resorted to the unusual measure to distract from Venezuela’s pressing problems. During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, he moved Christmas forward to October 15, and the following year to October 4.
Traditionally, the socialist government distributes food parcels, such as pork knuckles, to the country’s poor areas during the Christmas season. The Christmas celebrations – including festive lights – are now set to last for three months.
Protests across the country
In Venezuela The opposition accuses the government of electoral fraud and claims victory for its candidate Edmundo González Urrutia. After the presidential election in July, which was overshadowed by allegations of fraud, the party-line electoral authority declared Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner. Several Latin American countries and the USA have already recognized González Urrutia’s victory. The European Union and the Organization of American States also doubt the official election result.
In recent weeks, opponents of the government have repeatedly taken to the streets both in Venezuela and abroad. They are protesting against the allegedly manipulated election results. An arrest warrant was issued against González Urrutia at the beginning of the week. This has been criticized in the USA and the EU.
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Further
Venezuela’s economy has shrunk by 80 percent within a decade. Around seven million people have fled their country. After the presidential election, the situation in the South American country became even more tense. Numerous people were killed, injured or arrested during the protests.
In the midst of a serious political crisis in Venezuela, authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro Christmas by almost three months. “It is September and it already smells like Christmas. As a thank you to the fighting people, I will bring Christmas forward to October 1st by decree,” Maduro said in a television program. Christmas will come with “peace, joy and security.”
It is not the first time that Maduro resorted to the unusual measure to distract from Venezuela’s pressing problems. During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, he moved Christmas forward to October 15, and the following year to October 4.
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