Maduro decrees Christmas will be celebrated on October 1 this year

Venezuela's authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, has declared that Christmas will take place earlier than usual this year, with festivities to be brought forward to October 1.

"It's September and it already smells like Christmas. As a thank you to the fighting people, I will bring Christmas forward to October 1 by decree," Maduro told supporters on television.

This is not the first time that Maduro has resorted to this unusual move to distract attention from the South American country's pressing problems.

During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, he brought Christmas forward to October 15, and the following year to October 4.

At the time, Maduro published a video of the Miraflores presidential palace decorated with Christmas trees and Christmas decorations. The socialist government traditionally distributes food parcels, such as pork knuckles, to the country's poor neighbourhoods during the Christmas period.

Following the presidential election on July 28 that was overshadowed by allegations of fraud, the electoral authority loyal to the ruling party declared Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, the winner.

The opposition is accusing the government in Caracas of electoral fraud and is claiming victory for its candidate Edmundo González Urrutia.

On Monday, a court issued an arrest warrant for the ex-diplomat at the request of the pro-government public prosecutor's office.

The US and several Latin American countries have already recognised González's election victory. The European Union and the Organization of American States also question the official election result.

In Venezuela and abroad, numerous opponents of the government have repeatedly taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest against what they see as a manipulated election result.