Christmas in Venezuela kicks off in October, President Maduro has declared

CARACAS, Venezuela — The world’s consideration on Venezuela has been targeted within the final weeks on the fallout from a extremely contested presidential election that each the ruling get together and its opponents declare to have gained, the following persecution of critics and the arrest warrant towards the previous opposition presidential candidate.

However as political tensions escalate, President Nicolás Maduro determined there was a extra essential matter to debate: Christmas and the necessity to kick off the jolly season a tad early this 12 months. In October, to be exact.

“It’s September, and it already smells like Christmas,” Maduro mentioned Monday evening throughout his weekly tv present. “That’s why this 12 months, as a means of paying tribute to you all, and in gratitude to you all, I’m going to decree an early Christmas for October 1.”

However not everybody appears keen to start out singing Christmas carols.

“Christmas is meant to be a time of pleasure, household reunions, events, presents,” José Ernesto Ruiz, a 57-year-old workplace employee, mentioned Tuesday in Caracas, the capital. ”(However) with out cash and with this political disaster, who can consider that there can be an early Christmas?”

This isn’t the primary time that Maduro, in energy since 2013, has declared the early arrival of Christmas. He did so throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, however by no means this early. Additionally, this 12 months the political temper is especially tense, even when Maduro mentioned the season will come “with peace, happiness and safety.”

Ruling party-loyal electoral authorities declared Maduro the winner of the July 28 election with out displaying any detailed outcomes to again up their declare as they did in earlier presidential elections.

However the lack of transparency has drawn worldwide condemnation towards Maduro and his allies, whereas the primary opposition faction has introduced digital copies of its personal electoral tallies displaying that its candidate, Edmundo González obtained probably the most votes.

Simply hours earlier than Maduro’s vacation announcement, a Venezuelan decide issued an arrest warrant for González, a former diplomat, accusing him of assorted crimes together with conspiracy, falsifying paperwork and usurpation of powers.

Protests towards Maduro’s proclamation erupted after the election, and the federal government responded by arresting a number of folks. Greater than 2,000 folks — together with journalists, politicians and support staff — have been arrested since then.

“We’re all nervous about how we’re going to put meals on the desk, how we’re going to pay for the bus, ship the kids to highschool and purchase medication once we want it,” mentioned Inés Quevedo, a 39-year-old secretary and mom of two kids.

“I don’t assume they are going to enhance our salaries or pay us the ‘aguinaldo’,” she added, referring to the Christmas bonuses that staff normally obtain on the finish of the 12 months.

The minimal wage has not modified since 2022: 130 bolivars per 30 days, or about $3.55. Employees additionally earn a month-to-month meals help bonus of about $40, and those that have signed up for a system of presidency advantages get an extra $90.

“We’ll see what this Christmas is all about,” Quevedo mentioned.

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Comply with AP’s protection of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america