Caracas, Venezuela (AFP) — In a surprising move, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has decreed that Christmas will be celebrated early this year, on October 1. The announcement comes in the wake of a heavily disputed presidential election, which the opposition claims was rigged.
During a televised appearance on Monday, September 3, 2024, Maduro addressed the nation, “In homage to you, in gratitude to you, I am going to decree that Christmas be brought forward to October 1.” The 61-year-old leader, set to begin his third six-year term, aims to inject some holiday cheer amidst growing discontent over the election results.
The election, held on July 28, saw widespread outrage from both domestic opposition and the international community. Claims of electoral fraud have marred Maduro’s alleged victory, with the opposition and various countries refusing to recognize the results. Notably, the Venezuelan elections agency has cited corruption of the data by hackers as the reason for not publishing detailed vote tallies—a claim observers have found unsubstantiated.
Countries traditionally aligned with Maduro, such as Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil, have also withheld recognition of the official results, pending transparent vote tallies. Meanwhile, the United States and several Latin American countries have rallied behind the Venezuelan opposition’s claim to victory.
Adding to the political tension, Venezuelan prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who is currently in hiding. “Nobody in this country is above the laws, the institutions, as this… coward Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, has tried to be,” declared Maduro.
The aftermath of Maduro’s declared victory has been turbulent. Protests erupted across Venezuela, leading to the deaths of 25 civilians and two soldiers, with nearly 200 people injured and over 2,400 more jailed. Opposition leaders and citizens claim the election was stolen, further deepening the nation’s political crisis.
This isn’t the first time Maduro has altered the date of Christmas since taking office from his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, in 2013. However, many view the current decision as a tactic to divert public attention from the political turmoil and unrest.
The move to celebrate Christmas on October 1 is unprecedented and has added another layer of complexity to an already volatile political landscape in Venezuela. For now, the citizens are left to grapple with both a controversial election outcome and an early holiday season declared by their embattled president.
