Venezuelans woke up to find a Christmas tree standing tall in downtown Caracas on Oct. 1, marking the start of a new holiday season. This early celebration comes at the direction of President Nicolás Maduro, who is at the center of claims regarding a stolen election.
The government decorated streets and buildings in the capital with Christmas decorations, urging citizens to move past the election drama and embrace a message of “peace, happiness, and security.”
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However, many residents are bewildered, pointing out that Halloween has not yet occurred. The early Christmas festivities do not seem to provide a distraction from the contested election results.
Maduro announced the early Christmas celebration on Sept. 2, just hours after the government ordered the arrest of his political rival. He has faced increasing pressure both domestically and internationally since claiming victory.
The U.S. and other nations refused to recognize Maduro as the legitimate winner due to a lack of evidence supporting the election results.
For many Venezuelans, the celebration of this early Christmas is bittersweet. More than 2,400 citizens have been arrested during post-election protests.
