Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro, has declared Christmas would be celebrated on October 1, marking the second time he has moved the holiday early. The decree, issued in a state-ordered statement, was presented as an effort to “bring joy” to Venezuelans amid heightened regional tensions. Maduro’s announcement coincided with increased military activity along Venezuela’s borders, following U.S. accusations that his regime collaborates with drug trafficking networks to smuggle narcotics into the country.

In a televised address on his weekly program “Con Maduro +,” Maduro asserted the early celebration would feature “joy, commerce, activity, culture, carols, dancing, and traditional foods.” The move follows a pattern from 2024, when he shifted Christmas during a disputed election crisis, which international observers and the U.S. government alleged was rigged to consolidate power.

The Trump administration has escalated its military presence near Venezuela’s coast, deploying eight warships, a submarine, and thousands of Marines. This includes a September strike in international waters that killed 11 individuals linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, a drug trafficking organization designated as a foreign terrorist group. The U.S. has also raised the bounty for Maduro’s capture to $50 million.

Maduro has repeatedly vowed to resist what he frames as foreign aggression, despite widespread economic hardship and international condemnation of his regime. The early Christmas declaration underscores his efforts to project stability amid growing instability.