2026 in Venezuela
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| See also: | Other events of 2026 Years in Venezuela Timeline of Venezuelan history | ||||
Events in the year 2026 in Venezuela.
Government
- President – Nicolás Maduro (de facto until 3 January); Delcy Rodríguez (de facto since 3 January, acting since 5 January)
- Vice President – Delcy Rodríguez
- President of the National Assembly – Jorge Rodríguez
- President of the IV National Assembly of Venezuela – Dinorah Figuera
Holidays
Source:[1]
- 1 January – New Year's Day
- 16-17 February – Carnival
- 2 April – Maundy Thursday
- 3 April – Good Friday
- 19 April – Declaration of Independence
- 1 May – Labour Day
- 24 June – Battle of Carabobo
- 5 July – Independence Day
- 24 July – Simón Bolívar's Birthday
- 12 October – Day of Indigenous Resistance
- 24 December – Christmas Eve
- 25 December – Christmas Day
- 31 December – New Year's Eve
Events
January
- 3 January —
- The United States carries out airstrikes in Caracas and multiple states of Venezuela, prompting the Maduro government to declare a state of national emergency.[2] US President Donald Trump later announces that Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores had been captured and flown out of the country amid charges of narcoterrorism.[3] Trump then indicates that the United States plans to run Venezuela until there is a "safe, proper and judicious transition".[4]
- The Supreme Tribunal of Justice orders vice president Delcy Rodríguez to assume the presidency in the absence of Maduro.[5]
- 5 January —
- Delcy Rodríguez is sworn in as acting president.[6]
- The Swiss government imposes a four-year freeze on any assets held by president Maduro and his close associates in Switzerland.[7]
- 8 January – Announcement of the 2026 political prisoner release in Venezuela
- 12 January – The government announces the release of 112 political prisoners.[8]
- 22 January – The government releases Rafael Tudares Bracho, the son-in-law of opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia who had been detained since January 2025.[9]
- 29 January — President Rodríguez signs a law allowing the entry of private companies in the production and sale Venezuelan oil.[10]
February
- 6–22 February – Venezuela at the 2026 Winter Olympics
- 8 February – Juan Pablo Guanipa, the leader of the opposition Justice First party, is arrested in Caracas hours after being released from prison.[11]
- 10 February – Venezuela delivers its first crude oil shipment to Israel in several years.[12]
- 20 February –
- President Rodriguez signs a new amnesty law.[13]
- Around 214 political prisoners detained at the Rodeo I prison launch a hunger strike demanding their release under the new amnesty law.[14]
- 25 February –
- The United States allows the export of Venezuelan oil to Cuba for humanitarian purposes.[15]
- Tarek William Saab resigns as attorney-general, but is immediately appointed as interim Ombudsman by the National Assembly following the resignation of Alfredo Ruiz.[16]
March
- 5 March – The United States and Venezuela agree to re-establish diplomatic and consular relations.[17]
- 7 March – At the Shield of the Americas summit, U.S. president Trump says that the United States formally recognizes the government of Delcy Rodríguez.[18]
- 12 March – The International Criminal Court withdraws a crimes against humanity investigation on US sanctions on Venezuela, citing lack of evidence.[19]
- 14 March – The US embassy in Caracas reopens.[20]
- 17 March – Venezuela wins the World Baseball Classic for the first time after defeating the United States 3-2.[21]
- 18 March – President Rodríguez appoints General Gustavo González López as Minister of Defense, replacing General Vladimir Padrino López who has served since 2014.[22]
Deaths
- 22 January – Walter Martínez, 84, Uruguayan-born war correspondent.[23]
- 7 February – Nora Uribe, 87–88, politician and diplomat, minister of communication and information (2002–2003).[24]
References
- ^ "Venezuela Public Holidays 2026". Public Holidays Global. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "Explosions heard over Venezuelan capital Caracas amid US tensions". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2026-01-03.
- ^ Bergengruen, Vera (3 January 2026). "Maduro Faces Federal Drug-Trafficking Charges in U.S." The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ^ "Venezuela Live Updates: Trump Says U.S. Will 'Run the Country' After Capture of Maduro". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ^ "Venezuela's Supreme Court orders Delcy Rodriguez become interim president". Reuters. 3 January 2026. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ^ "Delcy Rodriguez formally sworn in as Venezuela's interim president". Reuters. 5 January 2026. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
- ^ "Switzerland freezes all Maduro-linked assets 'with immediate effect'". Euronews. 2026-01-05. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ^ "Venezuela says over 100 political prisoners released; pope meets Machado". Al Jazeera. 2026-01-12. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
- ^ "Venezuelan opposition leader son-in-law released after 380 days in detention". AP News. 2026-01-22. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
- ^ "Venezuela's acting president signs oil industry overhaul, easing state control to lure investors". AP News. 30 January 2026. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
- ^ "Venezuela opposition figure freed, then rearrested after calling for elections". France 24. 10 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- ^ "Venezuela Ships First Crude Cargo to Israel as Oil Exports Reopen After Maduro's Ouster". Bloomberg. 10 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- ^ "Venezuela signs amnesty law as families await prison releases". Al Jazeera. 2026-02-20. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ^ "More than 200 political prisoners in Venezuela launch hunger strike". France 24. 23 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- ^ "US to allow Venezuelan oil sales to Cuba as alarm grows in the Caribbean". Al Jazeera. 26 February 2026. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "Venezuela attorney general resigns, then lands acting ombudsman role in surprise move". AP News. 26 February 2026. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "US, Venezuela restore ties as Washington pushes for minerals access". RFI. 2026-03-06. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
- ^ ""Cuba will fall very soon," says Trump as Shield of the Americas alliance created". Euronews. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ Quell, Molly (2026-03-13). "International court drops investigation into US sanctions on Venezuela". Associated Press. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
- ^ "US embassy in Venezuela reopens as Trump pushes for access to resources". Al Jazeera. 2026-03-14. Retrieved 2026-03-15.
- ^ "Venezuela stun USA to win politically charged World Baseball crown". France 24. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ^ "Venezuela's acting president replaces long-time defense minister with intelligence head".
- ^ "Muere el periodista Walter Martínez, voz emblemática del oficialismo y conductor de "Dossier"". CiberCuba (in Spanish). 2026-01-22. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
- ^ "President-in-charge expresses her deep regret for the physical departure of the political leader, Nora Uribe Trujillo". Mazo 4F. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 11 February 2026.