23 November 1962 – Born in Caracas, Venezuela
Nicolás Maduro Moros was born on 23 November 1962 in Caracas, Venezuela, into a working-class family with strong leftist political roots. His father, Nicolás Maduro García, was a prominent trade-union leader and member of leftist organisations, while his mother, Teresa de Jesús Moros, originally came from Cúcuta, Colombia. Raised in the popular neighbourhood of Lomas de Soterno in western Caracas, Maduro grew up surrounded by the social and political activism that characterised Venezuela’s urban working class during the 1960s and 1970s. From an early age he was exposed to trade-union activities and socialist ideas that would profoundly shape his political ideology and future career. He attended the public Liceo José Ávalos high school but did not pursue university studies, instead entering the world of political activism and bus-driving unions as a teenager. Wikipedia – Early life
1986 – Political Training in Cuba
In the mid-1980s, at the age of 24, Nicolás Maduro travelled to Havana, Cuba, where he spent a year at the Escuela Nacional de Cuadros Julio Antonio Mella, a political and ideological training centre run by the Union of Young Communists. Under the guidance of high-ranking Cuban Communist Party official Pedro Miret Prieto, Maduro received intensive Marxist-Leninist instruction alongside other Latin American militants. This experience strengthened his commitment to revolutionary socialism and forged lasting personal and political ties with the Cuban government that would later become a cornerstone of his foreign policy. The training in Cuba marked a decisive step in Maduro’s transformation from a local union activist into a disciplined cadre of the international left. Wikipedia – Cuba training
1992 – Joins MBR-200 and Supports Chávez
In the early 1990s Maduro formally joined the clandestine Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 (MBR-200) founded by Hugo Chávez. After the failed 1992 coup attempts led by Chávez, Maduro became one of the most active campaigners for Chávez’s release from prison, organising protests and collecting signatures. By the late 1990s he co-founded the Movement for the Fifth Republic (MVR), the political party that propelled Chávez to the presidency in 1998. His loyalty during these turbulent years earned him Chávez’s personal trust and positioned him as one of the civilian pillars of the emerging Bolivarian Revolution, bridging the military and grassroots components of the movement. Wikipedia – Early political career
1998 – Elected to National Assembly
In the 1998 parliamentary elections Maduro was elected to the Chamber of Deputies representing the Capital District on the MVR ticket. The following year he won a seat in the National Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1999 Constitution of Venezuela, and in 2000 he was re-elected to the newly created unicameral National Assembly. These successive victories established Maduro as a rising figure within Chavismo and gave him direct involvement in the sweeping institutional reforms that consolidated executive power and introduced participatory democracy mechanisms favoured by President Chávez. Wikipedia – National Assembly
5 January 2005 – Becomes National Assembly President
On 5 January 2005 Nicolás Maduro was elected President of the National Assembly, succeeding Francisco Ameliach. He held the post until August 2006, when he was replaced by his wife Cilia Flores. During his tenure he oversaw the passage of numerous laws that expanded social programmes and consolidated the Bolivarian government’s control over state institutions. The position elevated his national profile and demonstrated his ability to manage legislative alliances, further solidifying his reputation as one of Chávez’s most trusted lieutenants within the revolutionary leadership. Wikipedia – Assembly President
9 August 2006 – Appointed Foreign Minister
President Hugo Chávez appointed Maduro Minister of Foreign Affairs on 9 August 2006, a position he held for over six years until 2013. During his tenure Maduro dramatically expanded Venezuela’s international alliances, strengthening ties with Russia, China, Iran, and other non-Western powers while promoting anti-imperialist rhetoric on global stages. He played a key role in founding ALBA and UNASUR and became the public face of Venezuela’s defiant foreign policy against the United States and traditional Western influence in Latin America. Wikipedia – Foreign Minister
September 2006 – Detained at New York Airport
In September 2006, while travelling to the United Nations General Assembly, Maduro and his delegation were detained for approximately 90 minutes by U.S. authorities at JFK Airport. Officials confiscated money and briefly held the group, an incident Maduro publicly denounced as political persecution linked to Chávez’s fiery UN speech the previous day. The episode reinforced anti-American sentiment within the Venezuelan government and became a frequently cited example of U.S. hostility toward the Bolivarian Revolution. BBC coverage
13 October 2012 – Appointed Vice President
On 13 October 2012, following his re-election, Hugo Chávez named Nicolás Maduro Vice President of Venezuela. Chávez had already publicly designated Maduro as his preferred successor in December 2011. The appointment placed Maduro at the centre of executive power during Chávez’s final battle with cancer, allowing him to oversee daily government operations and consolidate support among military and civilian sectors in preparation for a potential transition of power. Wikipedia – Vice Presidency
5 March 2013 – Assumes Interim Presidency After Chávez's Death
Following Hugo Chávez’s death on 5 March 2013, Nicolás Maduro immediately assumed the roles of acting president and appointed Jorge Arreaza as vice president. Amid national mourning, he delivered emotional speeches promising to continue the Bolivarian Revolution. The Supreme Tribunal ruled that Maduro could remain in office and run in the upcoming presidential election, a decision heavily criticised by the opposition as unconstitutional, setting the stage for the contentious 2013 election. Wikipedia – Death of Chávez
14 April 2013 – Elected President in Contested Vote
In the snap presidential election held on 14 April 2013, Maduro narrowly defeated opposition candidate Henrique Capriles by 1.5 percentage points (50.62% to 49.12%). The opposition alleged massive irregularities and demanded a full recount, which the National Electoral Council partially granted but never completed to their satisfaction. Maduro was inaugurated on 19 April 2013, marking the beginning of his presidency amid widespread protests and the start of Venezuela’s deepest economic and political crisis. BBC – 2013 election
17 September 2016 – Chairs Non-Aligned Movement
Venezuela, under Maduro’s leadership, assumed the rotating presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement from September 2016 to 2019. The summit held on Margarita Island became a platform to denounce imperialism and rally support from developing nations. Despite Venezuela’s worsening domestic crisis, Maduro used the chairmanship to project an image of international relevance and solidarity among Global South countries against Western sanctions and interference. Wikipedia – NAM Summit
20 May 2018 – Wins Disputed 2018 Presidential Election
Maduro was re-elected on 20 May 2018 with 67.8% of the vote in an election widely condemned as fraudulent by the United States, European Union, and most Latin American nations. Major opposition parties were barred from participating, turnout was historically low (46%), and independent observers were excluded. The result deepened Venezuela’s international isolation and triggered new waves of sanctions while intensifying the humanitarian emergency inside the country. Reuters – 2018 election
10 January 2019 – Sworn In for Second Term Amid Crisis
On 10 January 2019 Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for a second six-year term before the Supreme Tribunal rather than the National Assembly, which the government no longer recognised. The opposition-controlled National Assembly declared the inauguration illegitimate, and Juan Guaidó proclaimed himself acting president on 23 January 2019, triggering a presidential crisis that split international recognition and led to massive protests across Venezuela. Wikipedia – Presidential crisis
28 July 2024 – Claims Victory in Controversial 2024 Election
In the 28 July 2024 presidential election, the government-controlled National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the vote. The opposition, led by Edmundo González Urrutia, published tally sheets showing an overwhelming victory for their candidate. Lack of transparency, blocked international observation, and immediate repression of protests led most democratic countries to reject the official results and recognise González as the legitimate winner. BBC – 2024 election
10 January 2025 – Inaugurated for Third Term
Despite widespread international rejection of the 2024 election results, Nicolás Maduro was sworn in on 10 January 2025 for a third presidential term before the government-aligned Supreme Tribunal of Justice. The opposition and dozens of countries continue to recognise Edmundo González as the legitimate president-elect. The inauguration deepened Venezuela’s political and diplomatic isolation while protests and repression persisted amid one of the worst humanitarian crises in the Western Hemisphere. Reuters coverage