- Venezuela's leader is once more advancing the celebration of Christmas.
During a major political turmoil in Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro is choosing an unconventional approach to ease tensions by moving Christmas forward by almost three months. In a televised address to his supporters, Maduro stated, "It's September, but you can already smell Christmas in the air. As a gesture of gratitude to the resilient people, I'll make Christmas come early on October 1st through a decree. Christmas brings peace, joy, and security."
This isn't the first time Maduro has opted for this peculiar tactic to divert attention from Venezuela's urgent matters. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he shifted Christmas to October 15th, and the following year to October 4th.
To commemorate the early Christmas, Maduro shared a video of the Miraflores presidential palace decorated with Christmas trees and decorations. The socialist government typically provides food packages, including ham, to disadvantaged communities around Venezuela during the holiday season.
Venezuela: Opponents accuse Maduro of voter manipulation
A presidential election tainted by accusations of fraud took place on July 28th. The pro-government electoral body declared Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner. However, the opposition claims that the government in Caracas is guilty of electoral manipulation and asserts its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, as the victor. On Monday, a court issued an arrest warrant for the former diplomat on behalf of the government-backed prosecutor's office.
The United States and several Latin American countries have acknowledged González's election triumph. The European Union and the Organization of American States also question the legitimacy of the official election results. Protests against the perceived manipulated election result have been ongoing in Venezuela and abroad, led by numerous government critics.
Other countries are closely monitoring Venezuela's political situation, as they view Maduro's actions as an attempt to deflect attention from other pressing matters in the country. Despite the allegations of voter manipulation, Maduro continues to assert his position, often using unconventional means like moving Christmas forward.
