- Amidst the turmoil, Venezuela's president opted for celebrating Christmas.
In the midst of a significant political turmoil in Venezuela, authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro is pushing Christmas forward by about two and a half months. "It's September, and the scent of Christmas is already in the air. In appreciation of the resilient people, I am going to shift Christmas to October 1st by decree," Maduro announced during a live program to his supporters. "Christmas brings peace, joy, and security with it."
It's not the first time Maduro has taken this unconventional approach to divert attention from Venezuela's pressing concerns. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, he moved Christmas to October 15th, and the next year to October 4th.
At that time, Maduro shared a video of the Miraflores presidential palace adorned with Christmas trees and decorations. The socialist administration typically distributes food packages, like ham, in Venezuela's poor neighborhoods during the Christmas season.
Critics accuse Maduro of electoral fraud
After a presidential election on July 28th, marred by accusations of fraud, the pro-government electoral body declared Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner. Critics allege election fraud upon the Venezuelan government in Caracas and claim victory for their candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia. On Monday, a court, upon request from the pro-government prosecutor's office, issued an arrest warrant for the former diplomat.
The United States and several Latin American nations have already acknowledged González's election victory. The European Union and the Organization of American States also question the official election results. In Venezuela and abroad, a significant number of government opponents have been protesting on the streets recently, opposing what they perceive as a manipulated election result.
Maduru's unconventional Christmas date changes are often seen as a means to distract from 'Other' domestic issues.During the criticism and protests following the alleged election fraud, the Christmas celebration focus shifted to become a topic of 'Other' debates.
