“I will decree Christmas brought forward to October 1st“This is the surprising announcement made by the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduroa nearly three-month advance on a day marked by other news stories that were notably far removed from the holiday. Venezuela’s president plans to take office right after the holiday.
“Christmas begins on October 1st. For everyone, Christmas has arrived; with peace, happiness and security,” added Maduro. In the days leading up to this event, the Chavista government usually increases the distribution of food in the neighborhoods.
This festive tone does not resemble the reality that the country is experiencing, still marked by the elections of late July. This Monday, a Venezuelan court issued a arrest warrant against former opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, for alleged crimes of “usurpation of functions”, “forgery of public documents”, “incitement to disobedience of the laws”, “conspiracy”, “sabotage aimed at damaging systems” and “association”.
Previously, the United States had decided Confiscate Maduro’s official plane for sanctions against Venezuela, warning that “no one is above the law,” in the words of a US official to CNN. The United States determined that the acquisition of the plane “violated US sanctions, among other criminal offenses.”
