Nicolás Maduro has effectively been in power in Venezuela since March 8, 2013, when he was sworn in as interim president after Hugo Chávez’s death, and he formally became elected president on April 19, 2013. As of early 2026, that means he has held power for nearly 13 years, including multiple controversial reelections and a third swearing‑in in January 2025 that extended his mandate into the 2030s.