Venezuelan President Maduro Declares Early Christmas Amid Ongoing Post-Election Unrest

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced a change to the country's festive calendar, declaring that Christmas will begin on October 1. This decision was made during his weekly television show, where he stated that "September smells like Christmas." The move comes as Venezuela continues to grapple with the aftermath of the July presidential election. Maduro has promised Venezuelans a Christmas of "peace, happiness, and security," but a growing body of evidence suggests that he may have lost the support of the electorate.