Nicolás Maduro is the long‑time president of Venezuela, a former bus driver and union organizer who rose through the ranks of the country’s socialist movement to succeed Hugo Chávez in 2013.

Who Maduro Is

Nicolás Maduro Moros is a Venezuelan politician born on November 23, 1962, in Caracas, Venezuela. He became president in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chávez and has remained in power since, leading a government aligned with left‑wing, “Bolivarian” socialism.

How He Rose to Power

Maduro started out working as a bus driver and became a trade union leader, which pulled him into national politics in the 1990s. He then served as a legislator, president of the National Assembly, foreign minister (2006–2012), and vice president (2012–2013) under Chávez.

Presidency and Rule

After Chávez died in March 2013, Maduro became interim president and narrowly won a special election in April 2013, a vote the opposition claimed was tainted by irregularities. Since then, he has consolidated power, ruling with expanded decree and emergency powers while overseeing the creation of a pro‑government Constituent Assembly that sidelined the opposition‑led legislature.

Why He’s Controversial

Under Maduro, Venezuela has faced deep economic crisis, hyperinflation, mass emigration, and frequent clashes between security forces and protesters. Many Western and regional governments accuse his administration of authoritarian practices and electoral manipulation, while allies present him as a defender of national sovereignty against U.S. pressure and sanctions.

How People Talk About Him Online

In forums and social media, discussions about Maduro are often sharply polarized, with some users condemning him as an authoritarian and others arguing he is unfairly targeted because of his socialist stance and opposition to the United States. This split mirrors the broader international debate around his government, where views tend to align strongly with people’s broader politics and attitudes toward socialism and U.S. foreign policy.

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