Nicolás Maduro, one of the most questioned figures in world politics in recent years due to the severe political, economic, and social crisis that Venezuela has been experiencing since he came to power, announced the early celebration of Christmas starting on October 1st. This move has sparked a lot of criticism as many see it as an attempt to divert attention from the crisis following the controversial presidential elections held on July 30th.
“September is coming and I said, 'September and it already smells like Christmas.' And that's why this year, in honor of you, in gratitude to you, I am going to decree the early arrival of Christmas on October 1st. For everyone, Christmas has arrived. With peace, happiness, and security,” said the 61-year-old leader.
In recent weeks, various protests have taken place in several cities in Venezuela following the opposition's denunciation of election fraud, allegedly with the complicity of the National Electoral Council. This situation has led to over 200 arrests and 27 deaths so far. In addition to the arrest warrant issued against presidential candidate Edmundo González, the country has once again been hit by a massive power outage. Critics of the current government claim that the early start of the Christmas season is an attempt to reduce internal social pressure and divert international attention.
The other times Maduro advanced Christmas
Although for many it may seem like an unprecedented madness, it is actually the third time in four years that this decision has been made, citing 2020, when Christmas was set for October 15, with the aim of shifting public attention away from the issues left by the coronavirus pandemic.
"In times of pandemic, Christmas arrives early to fill Venezuelan families with hope and unity," announced Maduro at the time in a Venezuela severely affected by Covid-19, but with the added challenge of being the country with the highest inflation in the world."
In 2021 Nicolás Maduro once again advanced Christmas.