Amid the ongoing economic and food crisis affecting Venezuela, Chavista leader and governor of Táchira state, Freddy Bernal, sparked new controversy during an official event in the Cárdenas municipality, where he celebrated the “early Christmas” imposed by Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
Bernal appeared alongside local authorities as he toured a Christmas-themed display created by the mayor’s office. In a video circulated on social media, the official can be heard saying: “Greetings, Táchira! We’re still here in this beautiful Christmas season in Cárdenas. I want to congratulate Mayor Marta Gallo for what they’ve done—a beautiful representation of what Christmas is here in Cárdenas. Look: Christmas turkey, with its bread, with its hallaca… in short, bringing back traditions. Merry Christmas, Táchira!”
However, the scene provoked outrage and ridicule among citizens and analysts, as the food items Bernal presented—a supposed Christmas turkey, bread, and a hallaca—were not real. They were plastic props, part of the municipal décor, which the governor displayed as if they were real food available to the population.
A “fake Christmas” in a country with real hunger
Maduro’s regime once again declared the early start of the Christmas season, a strategy often used to distract from economic problems and create the illusion of a festive atmosphere despite widespread scarcity. In this context, Bernal holding fake food as if it were a proper Christmas dinner was particularly offensive to many citizens, especially in a border state like Táchira, where thousands of families struggle even to buy basic products.
On social media, several users pointed out the irony of showcasing plastic food in a country where people lack the purchasing power to afford a traditional December meal. Others criticized the attempt to “normalize” an artificial Christmas, disconnected from the real needs of the population.
A staged scene that exposes the regime’s disconnect
Chavista mayor Marta Gallo received praise from Bernal for the display, but the setup ultimately highlighted the gap between the government’s narrative and the everyday reality of Venezuelans. While the governor spoke about “reviving traditions,” the scene revealed the opposite: a simulated Christmas, decorated with fake food in a country where many families must replace ingredients or give up their holiday dinner entirely.
Analysts argue that this episode reflects the communication strategy of Chavismo: creating artificial symbols and events to mask the crisis. The early Christmas and the plastic food have, in fact, become a symbol of today’s Venezuela—a forced celebration, disconnected from the population’s basic needs, sustained by a stage set that fails to hide the harshness of daily life.
