Nicolás Maduro served as president of Venezuela for just under 13 years, from April 2013 until his capture and removal from power in early January 2026.

Basic timeline

  • Maduro was first elected after Hugo Chávez’s death and was inaugurated on 19 April 2013.
  • He remained in office through a second term starting in 2019 and was sworn in for a third six‑year term in January 2025, in a vote widely condemned as fraudulent.
  • His presidency ended when he was captured by U.S. forces in early January 2026.

How long was Maduro president?

Counting from his inauguration on 19 April 2013 to his removal in early January 2026, Maduro held the presidency for about 12 years and 9 months. In casual terms, many observers describe this as “around 13 years” in power.

Context and controversies

  • During these nearly 13 years, Venezuela experienced severe economic collapse, hyperinflation, and mass emigration, which many economists and rights groups linked to Maduro’s policies and authoritarian tactics.
  • Multiple elections during his rule (especially 2018 and 2024) were denounced by opposition figures and international organizations as unfree and unfair, deepening the legitimacy crisis around how long he stayed in office.

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