Venezuela lit up for Christmas, with hopes for healing and unity, as interim President Delcy Rodriguez officiated the opening of the Christmas season illumination display at Los Proceres Park in Caracas on Sunday (November 1), calling on Venezuelans to embrace one another in a spirit of support and reconciliation.

Crowds gathered among Christmas light displays and illuminated trees, with performers dancing and families taking photos with Santa Claus before a fireworks display closed the evening. Rodríguez told the crowd the occasion was "an embrace to heal wounds, an embrace to reconnect with friends and family," while attendees said they hoped the season would bring empathy and joy to a country still recovering from a devastating earthquake.

Venezuela was struck by deadly twin earthquakes in June, causing widespread devastation near Caracas and killing more than 6,500 people, with the state of La Guaira among the hardest hit.

Rodriguez has served as acting president since January 2026, becoming the first woman in Venezuelan history to perform the duties of the presidency, following the capture of Nicolas Maduro during a US intervention.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

CARACAS, VENEZUELA (NOVEMBER 1, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

1. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH LOS PROCERES PARK DURING OPENING OF CHRISTMAS SEASON ILLUMINATION DISPLAY

2. PEOPLE TAKING SELFIE WITH CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAY

3. PEOPLE WALKING PAST

4. PERFORMERS DANCING

5. VARIOUS OF VENEZUELAN INTERIM PRESIDENT DELCY RODRIGUEZ WALKING AND GREETING PEOPLE

6. RODRIGUEZ OFFICIATING OPENING OF EVENT

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN INTERIM PRESIDENT, DELCY RODRIGUEZ, SAYING:

"November 1 has arrived and the entire country is lighting up for Christmas, but the most important thing is the embrace that we are going to give each other, an embrace of support. An embrace to heal wounds, an embrace to reconnect with friends and family."

8. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS AMONG CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAY

9. VARIOUS OF ILLUMINATED CHRISTMAS TREE

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MANICURIST, YULI FLORES, SAYING:

"What happened, this earthquake, affected all of us. And truly, what I would like to ask of everyone this Christmas is that we have empathy for what happened."

11. PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS WITH SANTA CLAUS

12. SANTA CLAUS

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DENTIST, CRISTIAN TOVAR, SAYING:

"A little bit of joy never hurts here, a little bit of joy has never hurt anyone here."

14. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS AMONG CHRISTMAS LIGHT DECORATIONS

15. PEOPLE WATCHING FIREWORKS DISPLAY

16. FIREWORKS IN SKY

17. PEOPLE WATCHING FIREWORKS DISPLAY