Nicolás Maduro Moves Up Christmas in Venezuela by Decree Again, Amid Rising Tensions with Washington

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduroannounced that Christmas celebrations in the country will begin by decree on October 1, 2025, two months earlier than the traditional start of the season. The declaration comes as tensions mount between Caracas and Washington following the deployment of U.S. military forces in Caribbean waters close to Venezuela.

Speaking during his weekly television program Con Maduro + on September 8, broadcast on state-run Venezolana de Televisión, the president said early festivities would help stimulate the economy and lift the national spirit.

"We are going to apply the same formula from other years that has worked very well for the economy, for culture, for joy, and for happiness," Maduro said. "From October 1, Christmas begins again in Venezuela this year too."

Maduro defended the move as a way to protect what he called the Venezuelan people's "right to happiness and joy." He insisted that "nothing and no one in this world" could take away that possibility from the nation.

The early Navidad announcement coincided with the arrival of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Puerto Rico. Hegseth, accompanied by General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was received at Muñiz Air Base by Puerto Rican governor Jenniffer González. He addressed about 300 American troops stationed on the island, assuring them of support from President Donald Trump and the Department of War. "The men and women in our Department will be the best prepared," Hegseth said, calling the service members "American warriors

A Political Tradition

This is not the first time Maduro has moved up the holiday season. Since taking office in 2013, the president has decreed early Christmas multiple times, often in the middle of political or economic crises.

In 2024, he declared the start of Christmas on September 2, framing it as a gesture of "gratitude" to Venezuelans after elections widely criticized as fraudulent by the opposition and international observers. The National Electoral Council, controlled by Maduro allies, proclaimed him the winner despite accusations of irregularities, triggering widespread protests and a political standoff.

The announcement of early Christmas came just days after Maduro appeared in military uniform alongside top commanders of Venezuela's armed forces. His government has highlighted military readiness as U.S. planes continue to patrol the Caribbean, a move Washington says is part of regional security operations.

Analysts say Maduro's latest Christmas decree is a political maneuver designed to project normalcy and distract from growing international pressure. Opposition leaders argue that festive lights and decorations cannot mask the country's ongoing humanitarian crisis, marked by hyperinflation, shortages, and mass migration.

In his remarks, the Venezuelan leader described 2025 as "a good and beautiful year" that represented "progress in all areas." He added, "From difficulties has emerged the best of us, the capacity to rebuild ourselves and to make ourselves new again."

Supporters of the government embraced the announcement, saying the early holiday season provides a sense of relief and optimism. Critics, however, see it as another attempt to shift attention away from economic hardships and political repression.

Hours before, Venezuela's Interior, Justice, and Peace Minister Diosdado Cabello urged citizens to be ready "on all fronts" in response to the growing U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, hours after U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Puerto Rico.