Nicolás Maduro has ruled Venezuela as president from 2013 and remains in power, so as of 2026 his rule has lasted about 13 years.

Basic timeline

  • Hugo Chávez died in March 2013, and Maduro soon assumed the presidency and then won the special presidential election held on 14 April 2013.
  • He was formally inaugurated as president on 19 April 2013, which is generally taken as the starting point of his presidential rule.
  • Since then he has remained in office through multiple disputed elections and has consolidated power over key state institutions.

How long he has ruled

  • Counting from his 19 April 2013 inauguration to early 2026, Maduro has ruled for roughly 12 years and 9 months.
  • In early 2025 he was sworn in for a third six‑year term, formally extending his rule until 2031 if he remains in office for the full term.

Political context

  • His time in power has seen a severe economic collapse, with hyperinflation, mass emigration, and shortages of food and medicine, which critics link directly to his governance.
  • Maduro’s government has increasingly been described as authoritarian, with opposition parties curtailed, institutions such as the courts and electoral authority dominated by loyalists, and elections widely questioned by international observers.

“How long did Maduro rule Venezuela” as a phrase

  • If someone asks “how long did Maduro rule Venezuela” in the past tense, they are usually talking about the period starting in 2013 and continuing up to now , which is about 13 years and still ongoing.
  • Some commentators also talk about “over 10 years of Maduro” or “his 12‑year rule” when discussing his reelection and the continuation of the political model established under Hugo Chávez.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.