Nicolás Maduro, invested by the Parliament – with a large Chavista majority – as president for a new six-year term, after a questioned electoral victory, announced this Wednesday the creation of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, revealed a project with China to build a new satellite and promised to reform the Constitution that the late Hugo Chávez promoted in 1999.
In his annual address to the nation, which took place at the Teresa Carreño Theater and not the usual Federal Legislative Palace, showcased the achievements of 2024such as economic growth of more than 9% and inflation of 48%, compared to 198.8% registered in 2023.
In addition, he promised the celebration of, at least, ten elections for this yeara period that he predicted would be “of great self-demand” for his Administration.
A year full of elections
“This year we have ten elections,” Maduro said in his speech, explaining that one of them will be a referendum for constitutional reform.
For 2025, on dates yet to be defined, parliamentary, regional, local and council elections, among others, are scheduled to be held.
Also, he promised six popular queries -the first, on February 2, as a tribute to Chávez for the 26th anniversary of his arrival to power-, in which the inhabitants of the communes will decide, among several proposed projects, which one they consider priority.
On the other hand, Maduro announced the creation of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, headed by diplomat Coromoto Godoy, whose mission will be to develop Venezuela’s “export vocation.”
Finally, he highlighted telecommunications as one of its central axes, which is why -he said- Venezuela works with China on the “Cacique Guaicaipuro” satellitewhich will provide satellite internet, while disparaging the service provided by the South African tycoon Elon Musk: “What a Starlink or what a Starlink!” he exclaimed, in reference to the service developed by the company SpaceX for areas with little conventional connection.
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