Venezuelan President announces Christmas will take place in October

Thursday, September 5, 2024 - Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro moved Christmas celebrations in his country from December to October.

Despite most of the world celebrating Christmas on December 25, Maduro made a live television address this week urging that the people of Venezuela begin from October this year to celebrate Christmas

In a bizarre speech, the president said: "It is September and it already smells like Christmas.

"And that is why this year, in homage to you, in gratitude to you, I am going to decree the advancement of Christmas to October 1. Christmas starts on October 1 – for everyone, Christmas has arrived, with peace, happiness and security."

But his countrymen are not happy about this, with many saying they can barely feed, let alone celebrate.

Speaking to AP News, local man Ernesto Ruiz raged over the decision.

The 57-year-old in Caracas, said: "Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, family reunions, parties, presents. But without money and with this political crisis, who can believe that there will be an early Christmas?"

And Inés Quevedo, a 39-year-old secretary and mother of two children, said: "We are all worried about how we are going to put food on the table, how we are going to pay for the bus, send the children to school and buy medicine when we need it.

"I don’t think they will improve our salaries or pay us the 'aguinaldo'," she added, referring to the Christmas bonuses that workers usually receive at the end of the year.

The minimum wage has not changed since 2022: 130 bolivars per month, or about £2.67. Workers also earn a monthly food assistance bonus of about £30, and those who have signed up for a system of government benefits get an additional $68.

"We’ll see what this Christmas is all about," Quevedo said.