Nicolás Maduro facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Nicolás Maduro
Maduro in 2023
53rd President of Venezuela
Disputed
Assumed office 19 April 2013 Acting: 5 March – 19 April 2013
Vice President	Himself (Mar–Apr 2013) Jorge Arreaza (2013–2016) Aristóbulo Istúriz (2016–2017) Tareck El Aissami (2017–2018) Delcy Rodríguez (2018–present)
Preceded by	Hugo Chávez
President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 March 2013
Vice President	Diosdado Cabello
Preceded by	Hugo Chávez
24th Vice President of Venezuela
In office 13 October 2012 – 19 April 2013
President	Hugo Chávez Himself (acting)
Preceded by	Elías Jaua
Succeeded by	Jorge Arreaza
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 9 August 2006 – 13 October 2012
President	Hugo Chávez
Preceded by	Alí Rodríguez Araque
Succeeded by	Elías Jaua
3rd President of the National Assembly of Venezuela
In office 5 January 2005 – 7 August 2006
Preceded by	Francisco Ameliach
Succeeded by	Cilia Flores
Member of the National Assembly of Venezuela for Capital District
In office 3 August 2000 – 7 August 2006
Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement
In office 17 September 2016 – 25 October 2019
Preceded by	Hassan Rouhani
Succeeded by	Ilham Aliyev
President pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations
In office 23 April 2016 – 21 April 2017
Preceded by	Tabaré Vázquez
Succeeded by	Mauricio Macri
Personal details
Born	Nicolás Maduro Moros (1962-11-23) 23 November 1962 (age 62) Caracas, Republic of Venezuela
Political party	United Socialist Party of Venezuela (since 2007)
Other political affiliations	Fifth Republic Movement (until 2007)
Spouses	Adriana Guerra Angulo (div.) Cilia Flores ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	Nicolás Maduro Guerra
Residence	Miraflores Palace
Occupation	Politician
Signature

Nicolás Maduro Moros (born 23 November 1962) is a Venezuelan politician. He has been the 53rd president of Venezuela since 2013. Before becoming president, he served as the 24th vice president of Venezuela from 2012 to 2013. He was also the minister of foreign affairs from 2006 to 2012. From 2005 to 2006, he was the 3rd president of the National Assembly of Venezuela.

Maduro started his career as a bus driver. He then became a trade union leader. In 2000, he was elected to the National Assembly. He held several important jobs under President Hugo Chávez. After Chávez passed away on 5 March 2013, Maduro became the acting president. A special election was held in 2013, and Maduro won with 50.62% of the votes. He was the candidate for the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Since 2015, he has governed Venezuela using special powers granted by the ruling party.

Venezuela has faced many challenges during Maduro's time as president. There have been shortages of goods and a decrease in living standards. This led to protests in 2014 and a drop in his popularity. In 2015, an opposition-led National Assembly was elected. An effort to remove Maduro from office began in 2016, but his government stopped it. Maduro has kept power with the help of the Supreme Tribunal, the National Electoral Council, and the military.

The Supreme Tribunal took power away from the elected National Assembly. This caused a constitutional crisis and more protests in 2017. Maduro responded by calling for a new constitution. The Constituent Assembly of Venezuela was elected in 2017, but many people questioned the fairness of the voting. Presidential elections were held on 20 May 2018. Maduro was sworn in on 10 January 2019, but many countries did not agree with the results. The head of the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, was declared interim president by the opposition on 23 January 2019. This started a political crisis that lasted almost four years and divided countries around the world. In 2024, Maduro ran for a third term. The election results were disputed, with the opposition claiming their candidate, Edmundo González, won. Maduro was sworn in for his third term on 10 January 2025.

Many people describe Maduro's government as very strict. Organizations like the United Nations and Human Rights Watch have reported concerns about human rights in Venezuela under his leadership. The independence of the justice system has been weakened. Most television channels in Venezuela are controlled by the state, and news that is not favorable to the government is often not fully covered.

Early Life and Family

Nicolás Maduro Moros was born on 23 November 1962 in Caracas, Venezuela. He grew up in a working-class family. His father, Nicolás Maduro García, was a well-known trade union leader. His mother, Teresa de Jesús Moros, was born in Cúcuta, a town in Colombia near the Venezuelan border. Maduro was raised in a family with political interests and was the only boy among four siblings.

Maduro was raised as a Roman Catholic. In 2012, it was reported that he followed an Indian Hindu teacher named Sathya Sai Baba. He had visited the teacher in India in 2005. He also mentioned in an interview that his grandparents had a Sephardic background and converted to Catholicism in Venezuela.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores in 2019

Maduro has been married twice. His first wife was Adriana Guerra Angulo. They had one son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, also known as "Nicolasito." His son has held several important government jobs. Later, Maduro married Cilia Flores, who is a lawyer and politician. She became the president of the National Assembly after Maduro in 2006. They had been together since the 1990s and married in July 2013. Maduro has three step-children from his wife's first marriage.

Maduro enjoys the music of John Lennon and his messages of peace and love. He has said that he was inspired by the music and culture of the 1960s and 70s, including Robert Plant and Led Zeppelin.

Early Career and Politics

MBR-200 members meeting in 1997 (Maduro is on the far left and Chávez is in the center)

Maduro in 1999 as a member of the National Constituent Assembly

Maduro on 13 April 2002, during the 2002 coup d'état, in a protest demanding the release of Chávez.

Education and Union Work

Maduro went to a public high school in Caracas. He first got involved in politics by joining his high school's student union. School records show that he did not finish high school.

For many years, Maduro worked as a bus driver for the Caracas Metro company. In the 1980s, he started his political journey by becoming a union leader for bus drivers. He also worked as a bodyguard for José Vicente Rangel during his presidential campaign in 1983.

When he was 24, Maduro lived in Havana, Cuba, with other young political activists. He took a one-year political education course there.

Joining the MBR–200

In the early 1990s, Maduro joined the MBR-200. He worked to get Chávez released from prison after the 1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempts. In the late 1990s, Maduro helped create the Movement of the Fifth Republic. This group supported Chávez when he ran for president in 1998.

National Assembly Member

Maduro was elected to the Venezuelan Chamber of Deputies in 1998. He then became a member of the National Constituent Assembly in 1999. Finally, he was elected to the National Assembly in 2000, representing the Capital District. He served as the Speaker of the National Assembly from 2005 to 2006.

Foreign Minister of Venezuela

Maduro as foreign minister, beside Tareck El Aissami, presenting Vladimir Putin the Key to the City of Caracas in April 2010

In 2006, Maduro was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. He held this position under President Chávez until October 2012, when he became Vice President of Venezuela. During his time as foreign minister, Maduro played a key role in expanding Venezuela's foreign policy beyond Latin America. He worked to build relationships with many governments that were not close to the United States.

Venezuela's foreign policy under Maduro included:

• Ending unofficial relations with Taiwan to favor the People's Republic of China.
• Supporting Libya under Muammar Gaddafi.
• Breaking off diplomatic ties with Israel during the 2008–09 Gaza War.
• Recognizing and establishing diplomatic relations with the State of Palestine.
• Improving relations with Colombia in 2008 and 2010.
• Recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.
• Supporting Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian Civil War.

Temir Porras, who was Maduro's chief of staff when he was foreign minister, said that Maduro was seen as "pragmatic" and a "very skilled politician." He was good at negotiating and getting agreements signed quickly.

2006 Incident in New York

In September 2006, Maduro was briefly stopped by US security officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. He was trying to fly back to Venezuela. Maduro identified himself as a diplomat, but he was still taken to a room for extra checks. He and other Venezuelan officials refused to be frisked. His diplomatic passport and ticket were held for a short time before being returned.

After the incident, Maduro said his detention was illegal and filed a complaint with the United Nations. US and UN officials called the incident regrettable. President Chávez said Maduro's detention was a response to his own speech at the UN General Assembly.

Vice President of Venezuela

Before becoming vice president, Chávez had chosen Maduro in 2011 to take over if he died from cancer. Chávez trusted Maduro and he had good relationships with other leaders in the Chavismo movement.

Chávez appointed Maduro Vice President of Venezuela on 13 October 2012. This was shortly after Chávez won the presidential election that month. Two months later, on 8 December 2012, Chávez announced that his cancer had returned. He said he would go to Cuba for surgery and treatment. Chávez then publicly stated that if his health got worse and a new election was needed, Venezuelans should vote for Maduro to be his successor. This was the first time Chávez named someone to take his place.

Chávez's support for Maduro meant that Diosdado Cabello, another powerful Socialist Party official, was no longer seen as the main candidate to succeed Chávez. After Maduro was endorsed, Cabello quickly showed his loyalty to both men.

Interim President

When Hugo Chávez died on 5 March 2013, Maduro took over as acting president. He appointed Jorge Arreaza as the new vice president. Since Chávez died within the first four years of his term, the Constitution of Venezuela required a presidential election to be held within 30 days. Maduro was chosen as the Socialist Party's candidate. Some opposition leaders argued that Maduro's temporary presidency went against the Venezuelan Constitution.

President of Venezuela

Maduro taking the oath of office as president of Venezuela on 19 April 2013

Maduro became president in 2013. At first, high oil prices helped him keep up government spending, especially for the military. He also used the international connections Chávez had made. The ruling party and government groups supported Maduro. The government also used its power to control opposition.

President Maduro among other Latin American leaders participating in a 2013 UNASUR summit

In April 2013, Maduro was elected president. He won by a small margin against opposition candidate Henrique Capriles. Capriles asked for a recount and did not accept the results. Maduro was sworn in as president on 19 April. In October 2013, he created a new agency called the Vice Ministry of Supreme Happiness to manage social programs.

In May 2016, opposition leaders asked the National Electoral Council (CNE) for a vote to remove Maduro from office. This is called a recall referendum. On 5 July 2016, some opposition activists involved in the recall effort were arrested. After delays in checking signatures, protesters said the government was purposely slowing down the process. The government said the protests were part of a plan to overthrow Maduro. On 1 August 2016, the CNE announced that enough signatures were valid for the recall process to continue. Opposition leaders wanted the vote to happen in 2016 so a new president could be elected. However, the government said it would not happen until 2017, which would mean the current vice president would take over if Maduro was recalled.

President Maduro speaking at a Venezuelan Constituent Assembly session on 10 August 2017

In May 2017, Maduro suggested holding an election for a new Constituent Assembly. This election took place on 30 July 2017, despite many countries disagreeing with it. The United States placed sanctions on Maduro after the election, calling him a "dictator." Other countries like China, Russia, and Cuba supported Maduro and the election. The presidential elections, originally set for December 2018, were moved up to 22 April and then to 20 May. Many experts called the election unfair, and it had the lowest number of voters in the country's democratic history.

Maduro was given special powers to rule by decree starting in 2013, and again in 2015 and 2016. This was to deal with the economic crisis in the country. The Venezuelan opposition strongly criticized this, saying that the court was taking over the power of the legislature. During his presidency, Venezuela has seen an increase in crime, inflation, poverty, and hunger. Experts say this decline is due to the economic policies of both Chávez and Maduro. Maduro, however, blames his political opponents for an "economic war."

A 2018 report by Amnesty International said that Maduro's government had committed serious human rights violations. The report found that violence, including extrajudicial killings, happened often, especially in poor neighborhoods. Amnesty International called on the government to protect the lives of young people in the country.

During Maduro's later years as president, pro-government police and military forces started operations called "Liberation of the People Operation." They said these operations targeted gangs and armed groups in poor areas. These operations reportedly led to many arrests and deaths. The Venezuelan opposition claimed these operations were used to suppress dissent. The UN released a report criticizing the violent methods used. The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry criticized the UN's report, calling it unfair.

On 4 August 2018, two drones with explosives went off near where Maduro was giving a speech to military officers. The Venezuelan government said it was an attempt to assassinate Maduro. Others have suggested it was a "false flag" operation by the government to justify cracking down on the opposition.

In 2019, Maduro's former chief of staff said that Maduro had not achieved much in terms of public policy. He believed Maduro was more focused on keeping his power among his allies. However, after more international sanctions were put in place in 2019, Maduro's government changed some socialist policies. This helped the country's economy start to recover.

On 3 May 2020, Venezuelan security forces stopped an attempt to overthrow Maduro. This attempt was organized by an American private security company. The Venezuelan government claimed the United States and its Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were responsible. Juan Guaidó denied being involved. Eight attackers were killed, and thirteen, including two Americans, were captured.

International Relations

Maduro meeting with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani in 2015

On 6 March 2014, Maduro announced that Venezuela was ending diplomatic and trade relations with Panama. This happened after Panama's president supported protesters during the protests that began on 12 February. Relations were restored in July 2014.

On 11 August 2017, US President Donald Trump said he would not rule out military action against Maduro's government. On 23 January 2019, Maduro announced that Venezuela was breaking ties with the United States. This came after President Trump recognized Juan Guaidó as the interim President of Venezuela.

Another diplomatic crisis with Panama happened in 2018. Panama placed sanctions on Maduro and other Venezuelan officials. Venezuela responded with its own sanctions on Panamanian companies and officials. The crisis ended on 26 April 2018, when Maduro and Panama's president agreed to restore relations.

On 14 January 2019, Maduro called Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro "a Hitler of the modern era." This was after Brazil recognized Juan Guaidó.

Maduro has a close relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Maduro discussed increasing cooperation with Russia. Because of higher oil prices from the conflict, US officials have talked with Maduro about possibly lifting sanctions on Venezuela and improving relations. At a climate conference in November 2022, several world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, spoke with Maduro. Days later, the United States eased some sanctions on Venezuela.

Maduro at the 2023 South American summit

Maduro visited Saudi Arabia in June 2023 and China in September 2023. In China, he asked for support for Venezuela to join the economic group BRICS. He also wanted more Chinese investment in Latin America. During his visit, Maduro signed an agreement that included training Venezuelan astronauts.

In the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Maduro has often supported the Palestinian cause. On 7 November 2023, he criticized Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war.

Maduro promoted a referendum in Venezuela to support Venezuela's claim to the Essequibo region. This area is disputed with, and controlled by, neighboring Guyana. The referendum took place on 3 December 2023. A large majority voted in favor of Venezuela's claims, but not many people participated in the vote.

Assassination Attempts

Maduro has faced several attempts on his life during his presidency.

In the 2018 Caracas drone attack incident, two drones exploded while Maduro was giving a speech. The Venezuelan government said it was an assassination attempt.

In September 2024, Venezuelan police arrested three Americans, two Spaniards, and a Czech national. They were carrying sniper rifles and other weapons. The Venezuelan government claimed they were planning to assassinate Maduro. The Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, blamed the CIA and Spanish intelligence. He also said they arrested another US military member linked to attacks during the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election.

Awards and Honours

     Revoked and returned awards and honours.

Awards and orders		Country	Date	Place	Notes
	Order of the Liberator	Venezuela	19 April 2013	Caracas, Venezuela	Highest decoration of Venezuela, given to every president.
	Order of the Liberator General San Martín (Revoked)	Argentina	8 May 2013	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Highest decoration of Argentina awarded by political ally Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Revoked on 11 August 2017 by President Mauricio Macri for human rights violations.
	Order of the Condor of the Andes	Bolivia	26 May 2013	La Paz, Bolivia	Highest decoration of Bolivia.
	Bicentenary Order of the Admirable Campaign	Venezuela	15 June 2013	Trujillo, Venezuela	Venezuelan order.
	Star of Palestine	Palestine	16 May 2014	Caracas, Venezuela	Highest decoration of Palestine.
	Order of Augusto César Sandino	Nicaragua	17 March 2015	Managua, Nicaragua	Highest decoration of Nicaragua.
	Order of José Martí	Cuba	18 March 2016	La Habana, Cuba	Cuban order.

Other Recognitions

• In 2014, TIME magazine named Maduro one of the 100 Most Influential People. The article stated that Venezuela's future depended on Maduro and whether he could work with his opponents.
• In 2016, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) listed Maduro as a "predator" of press freedom in Venezuela. RSF noted his methods of controlling media through censorship and economic pressure.
• In 2016, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) gave President Maduro their Person of the Year Award. This award recognizes the person who has done the most to promote organized crime and corruption. The OCCRP stated they chose Maduro because of his "corrupt and oppressive reign."

Elections

2013 Presidential Campaign

Maduro won the presidential election held after Hugo Chávez's death. He received 50.61% of the votes, while the opposition candidate, Henrique Capriles Radonski, received 49.12%. The opposition group, Democratic Unity Roundtable, claimed the election was fraudulent and against the constitution. However, the Supreme Court of Venezuela ruled that Maduro was the rightful president.

2018 Presidential Campaign

Nicolás Maduro's 2018 presidential campaign logo

Maduro was declared the winner of the 2018 election with 67.8% of the vote. Many neighboring countries and organizations like the European Union and the Organization of American States said the results were fraudulent. However, other countries like Bolivia, Cuba, China, and Russia recognized the results as legitimate.

2024 Presidential Campaign

Electoral History

See also

• 2016 state of emergency in Venezuela
• List of presidents of Venezuela