Venezuelan President Maduro moves Christmas to October in a bid to divert the country's attention away from the contested Venezuela elections that have rocked the nation. Maduro backs the new holiday season to soon begin with “peace, happiness, and security.”
The 61-year-old president announced on his weekly television show on Monday, ‘‘It’s September, and it already smells like Christmas. That’s why this year, as a way of paying tribute to you all, and in gratitude to you all, I'm going to decree an early Christmas for October 1.’’
Monday's announcement isn't the first time Maduro’s government brought forward the Christmas celebrations. It also did so during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mass Protests Continue in Venezuela Despite Early Christmas Date
While Maduro’s actions to divert attention from the highly contested presidential elections in July may prove somewhat effective, many Venezuelans are unhappy about moving up a joyous celebration – with mass protests continuing in the South American nation.
Christmas is a significant event in Venezuela, a Catholic-majority nation, and the news of earlier Christmas ought to at least excite a large portion of the population. However, lingering economic hardship and political instability threaten to mar any potential celebrations nationwide.
Jose Ernesto Ruiz, an office worker in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, informed the Associated Press news agency that: “Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, family reunions, parties, presents… (but) without money and with this political crisis, who can believe that there will be an early Christmas?”
Meanwhile, opposition parties continue protesting the outcome of July’s presidential elections, claiming that Maduro is illegally holding on to power. Accusations against Maduro include corruption and widespread cronyism, which have severely impaired the nation's economy.
However, Maduro insists on an election ‘‘victory,’’ while cracking down on the opposition. His latter actions have fueled growing concerns globally on the nation's state. As of this writing, Maduro has imprisoned over 2,400 people, including journalists, politicians, and aid workers since the July elections.
President Nicolas Maduro claimed 52% of the vote. However, the opposition claims the results are unfair as the international community remains divided in their response to the turmoil along geopolitical lines. While the US, EU, and several Latin American countries also claim the elections are unfair and back Urrutia as the real winner, countries like Russia, China, Cuba, Iran, Syria, Bolivia, and Turkey support Maduro’s current presidency. Maduro has been President since 2013.
Conclusion
President Maduro declares early Christmas in Venezuela, after announcing an October 1 date on Monday. Reports claim the decision intends to divert people's attention from the July presidential elections that have attracted many controversies. Opposition parties contest Maduro’s majority votes’ claim as massive protests continue across the nation over the election’s outcome.