Overview

• State and municipal authorities switched on decorations and staged concerts in Caracas, including Plaza Bolívar and the Paseo Los Próceres, after the Oct. 1 decree.
• Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said Nicolás Maduro signed a “decreto de conmoción externa” granting special defense and security powers.
• The government promotes the early festivities as a recurring formula to boost consumption and morale, with civic‑military events featuring police and militia participation.
• Daily routines largely continue across the country as schools, public transport and shops operate, even as officials keep up mobilizations tied to national defense messaging.
• The backdrop is steep economic stress and political tension, with IMF‑projected 254% inflation, a sharply devalued bolívar, opposition criticism over priorities, and a U.S. naval deployment that Washington frames as counter‑narcotics.