Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Venezuela will begin to observe the annual Christmas holiday on Oct. 1 for a second straight year, President Nicolas Maduro ordered. Maduro announced the change via statements aired on Venezuela's state channel, VTV, with an intent to improve the nation's economy. "It has gone very well for us -- for the economy, for culture, for joy, for happiness," Maduro said in the statement, as reported by Colombia One on Tuesday. He added: "We are going to defend the right to happiness."