Early Life and Education of Nicolás Maduro: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Nicolás Maduro. A timeline of key moments.

Nicolás Maduro is a Venezuelan politician who has served as the 53rd president of Venezuela since 2013. Prior to his presidency, Maduro held several prominent political positions, including Vice President (2012-2013), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006-2012), and President of the National Assembly (2005-2006). His political career began as a union leader before transitioning into government roles.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

November 1962: Maduro's Alleged Birth

In November 1962, according to a Supreme Tribunal of Justice ruling from 2016, Nicolás Maduro was born in Caracas, in the parish of La Candelaria.

November 1962: Nicolás Maduro Born

On November 1962, Nicolás Maduro Moros was born in Caracas, Venezuela, to a working-class family. His mother, Teresa de Jesús Moros, was born in Cúcuta, Colombia. He was raised in a leftist family in the working-class neighborhood of El Valle.

1986: Resided in Havana and attended political education

In 1986, at 24 years of age, Nicolás Maduro resided in Havana with other militants of leftist organizations, attending a one-year course at the Escuela Nacional de Cuadros Julio Antonio Mella.

April 1989: Death of Nicolás Maduro García

In April 1989, Nicolás Maduro's father, Nicolás Maduro García, who was a prominent trade union leader, died in a motor vehicle accident.

2005: Visit to Sathya Sai Baba

Nicolás Maduro visited Indian Hindu guru Sathya Sai Baba in India in 2005.

2012: Reported Follower of Sathya Sai Baba

In 2012, it was reported by the New York Times that Nicolás Maduro was a follower of Indian Hindu guru Sathya Sai Baba and had visited him in India in 2005.

July 2013: Marriage to Cilia Flores

In July 2013, Nicolás Maduro married Cilia Flores, a lawyer and politician, after being in a romantic relationship since the 1990s.

October 2013: Maduro's approval rating between 45% and 50%.

In October 2013, Maduro's approval rating stood between 45% and 50%, possibly due to Hugo Chávez's endorsement.

2013: Jewish Ancestry Claim

In a 2013 interview, Nicolás Maduro stated that his grandparents were Jewish and converted to Catholicism in Venezuela.

October 2014: Maduro's approval rating at 24.5%.

In October 2014, Maduro's approval rating dropped to 24.5%, according to pollster Datanálisis.

November 2014: Polls indicate majority of Venezuelans believe Maduro should not finish term.

In November 2014, Datanálisis polls indicated that more than 66% of Venezuelans believed that Maduro should not finish his six-year term, with government supporters representing more than 25% of those who wanted him to resign.

April 2015: Maduro sees small increase in approval after anti-US rhetoric.

In April 2015, Maduro experienced a slight increase in approval after initiating a campaign of anti-US rhetoric following the sanctioning of seven officials accused of human rights violations by the United States.

November 2016: Poll indicates high percentage of voters would oust Maduro in recall.

In November 2016, during a recall movement, a Venebarómetro poll found that 88% of likely voters would choose to oust Maduro in a recall election. Other polls, such as those by Hercon, Meganálisis, and Datanálisis, showed similar results, with a high percentage of voters willing to recall Maduro.

2017: Maduro expresses support for same-sex marriage

In 2017, Maduro expressed his personal support for same-sex marriage.

August 2018: Drone Attack on Maduro

On 4 August 2018, at least two drones armed with explosives detonated in the area where Nicolás Maduro was delivering an address to military officers in Venezuela. It is debated whether this was an assassination attempt or a false flag operation.

September 2018: Meganálisis poll finds high percentage of Venezuelans want Maduro removed from power.

In September 2018, Meganálisis polls found that 84.6% of Venezuelans surveyed wanted Maduro and his government to be removed from power.

2018: Poll indicates low voter support for Maduro before presidential elections.

Before the 2018 presidential elections, a Datanálisis poll indicated that 16.7% of voters would vote for Maduro, compared to 27.6% and 17.1% for rival candidates Henri Falcón and Javier Bertucci, respectively.

2018: Maduro Targeted in Drone Attack During Rally

In 2018, during a speech to rally supporters, Maduro was targeted by two drones that exploded.

February 2019: Polls indicate declining support for Maduro during presidential crisis.

In February 2019, during the presidential crisis, Meganálisis recorded that 4.1% of Venezuelans recognized Maduro as president, while Hinterlaces found that 57% recognized him as the legitimate president. Datanálisis found that Maduro's support among the poorest 20% of Venezuelans had fallen to 18%.

March 2019: Poll finds Maduro's approval at all-time low.

By March 4, 2019, a Datanálisis poll found Guaidó's approval at 61%, and Maduro's at an all-time low of 14%. In a theoretical election, Guaidó would win with 77% of the vote, while Maduro would receive 23%.

2019: Analyst describes Maduro as extremely unpopular.

In 2019, analyst José Briceño-Ruiz, based on the Meganalisis poll and other trends, described Maduro as "extremely unpopular".

February 2023: Poll shows Maduro trailing opposition candidate before 2024 elections.

In February 2023, a year before the 2024 presidential elections, a Datincorp poll concluded that 15.69% of voters would vote for Maduro as a candidate, in contrast to 16.86% that would vote for opposition candidate María Corina Machado.