Nicolás Maduro Biography
Nicolás Maduro Moros was born on 23 November 1962. He is a politician from Venezuela. In his early life, he worked as a union leader. He has been the president of Venezuela since 2013.
Before becoming president, he worked as the vice president under President Hugo Chávez from 2012 to 2013. He was also the Foreign Affairs Minister of Venezuela from 2006 to 2012.
Nicolás Maduro Early Life
Nicolás Maduro Moros was born on 23 November 1962 in Caracas, Venezuela. He came from a poor working-class family.
His father, Nicolás Maduro García, was a labour union leader. He supported a political group called Movimiento Electoral del Pueblo (MEP). His father died in a road accident on 22 April 1989.
His mother’s name is Teresa de Jesús Moros. She was born in Cúcuta, a town near the border of Colombia and Venezuela.
Maduro grew up on Calle 14 in Los Jardines, El Valle, a working-class area in western Caracas. He had three sisters named María Teresa, Josefina, and Anita. He was the only brother in the family.
Maduro was raised as a Catholic. In 2012, reports said that he followed an Indian spiritual teacher named Sathya Sai Baba and visited him in India in 2005. In a 2013 interview, Maduro said that his grandparents were Jewish and later became Catholic after moving to Venezuela.
Nicolás Maduro Family Life
Nicolás Maduro has been married two times.
His first wife was Adriana Guerra Angulo. They had one son named Nicolás Maduro Guerra, also called “Nicolasito”. His son later worked in important government jobs, including leading an inspection group, heading the National Film School, and serving in the National Assembly.
In July 2013, Maduro married Cilia Flores, who is a lawyer and politician. She became the first woman President of the National Assembly. Maduro and Cilia Flores have been together since the 1990s and married a few months after he became president.
They do not have children together, but Maduro has three stepchildren from her first marriage. Their names are Walter Jacob, Yoswel, and Yosser.
Maduro likes listening to music, especially songs by John Lennon. He likes messages of peace and anti-war ideas. He also enjoys music from the 1960s and 1970s, including Led Zeppelin and Robert Plant.
Nicolás Maduro Political Career
Education and Union Work
Maduro studied at a government high school called Liceo José Ávalos in El Valle. He became interested in politics after joining the student union. School records say that he did not complete high school.
Later, he worked as a bus driver for the Caracas Metro. While working there, he helped create a workers’ union, even though unions were not allowed at that time.
He also worked as a bodyguard for José Vicente Rangel during his 1983 presidential campaign, which was not successful.
Time in Cuba and MBR–200
When Maduro was 24 years old, he went to Cuba. He studied for one year at a political training school. He received training from a Cuban political leader close to Fidel Castro.
In the early 1990s, Maduro joined a political group called MBR–200. He supported Hugo Chávez and asked for his release when Chávez was put in jail after failed coup attempts in 1992.
Later, Maduro helped start the Movement of the Fifth Republic, which helped Chávez win the 1998 presidential election.
National Assembly
Maduro was elected to the government many times.
- In 1998, he became a member of the Chamber of Deputies
- In 1999, he joined the National Constituent Assembly
- In 2000, he became a member of the National Assembly
- From 2005 to 2006, he served as President of the National Assembly
Foreign Minister of Venezuela
In 2006, Maduro became Foreign Affairs Minister under President Hugo Chávez. He stayed in this role until 2012.
During this time, Venezuela built strong relations with countries outside Latin America, especially those that were not friendly with the United States.
Venezuela:
- Ended relations with Taiwan
- Supported China
- Supported Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi
- Cut ties with Israel during the Gaza War
- Recognized Palestine as a country
- Supported Syria’s president
- Recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent regions
People who worked with Maduro said he was good at negotiations. However, reports said he did not speak foreign languages.
2006 Airport Incident in New York
In September 2006, Maduro was stopped at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York for about 90 minutes. This happened while he was attending a United Nations meeting.
Even though he said he was a Venezuelan diplomat, he was checked again by security. His passport and ticket were taken for some time and later returned.
Maduro complained to the United Nations, saying the detention was wrong. U.S. officials said it was only a security check. Because of this, Maduro could not return to Venezuela the same day.
Vice President of Venezuela
In 2011, President Hugo Chávez chose Maduro as the person who should become president if Chávez died.
On 13 October 2012, Maduro officially became Vice President. In December 2012, Chávez said his cancer had returned and asked people to vote for Maduro if a new election was needed.
This was the first time Chávez named a successor.
Interim President
After Hugo Chávez died on 5 March 2013, Maduro became interim president. A new election was required, and Maduro was chosen as the only candidate of the Socialist Party.
Some opposition leaders said he broke the constitution, but Maduro continued in power and later won the election.
Nicolás Maduro Net Worth
Estimated Net Worth
- His wealth is estimated to be between 2 million and 5 million US dollars
- Some reports claim more, but no clear proof exists
Reasons
- His presidential salary is low
- No clear record of big businesses or properties
- He is accused of corruption, but courts have not proven it
- International sanctions have increased attention on his money
Important Note
Venezuela does not share clear financial records, so these numbers are only estimates.
FAQs
1. Who is Nicolás Maduro?
Nicolás Maduro is the President of Venezuela.
2. When did he become president?
He became president in 2013.
3. Do all countries accept him as president?
No. Some countries accept him, and some do not.
4. Why is he criticized?
People blame him for economic problems and corruption.
5. What about the economic crisis?
Many people blame his policies. He says foreign sanctions caused it.
