
Since this was written, the market has moved further toward Nicolás Maduro — now ~75% (was ~60%). Live numbers in the table below.
Both platforms still make Nicolás Maduro the favorite for year-end head of state despite his January 2026 capture and indictment in New York, but with a real gap: Polymarket prices him at 79% versus Kalshi's 60%, a 19-point spread reflecting different views on whether his continued legal claim to the presidency ("I am still president") outweighs Delcy Rodríguez's de facto control in Caracas.
Analysis written Jul 15, 2026 · odds in the tables below are live
| Outcome | Spread | ||
|---|---|---|---|
N Nicolás Maduro | 5.2pp spread | ||
D Delcy Rodríguez | 2.0pp spread | ||
E Edmundo González | 5.5pp spread | ||
J Juan Guaidó | - | - | |
D Diosdado Cabello Rondón | 4.1pp spread | ||
M María Corina Machado | 0.2pp spread | ||
D Dinorah Figuera | 3.9pp spread | ||
M Miguel Rodríguez Torres | - | - | |
N No Head of State | - | - | |
V Vladimir Padrino López | 2.1pp spread | ||
M Marco Rubio | 1.9pp spread | ||
D Donald Trump | 1.8pp spread | ||
S Stephen Miller | - | - | |
P Pete Hegseth | 1.1pp spread | ||
J Jorge Rodríguez | 0.2pp spread | ||
F Frank Donovan | 0.7pp spread | ||
E Evan Pettus | 0.5pp spread | ||
R Richard Grenell | 0.7pp spread | ||
D Dan Caine | 0.5pp spread |
Edmundo GonzálezCost: 94¢ per pair → pays $1 at resolution. Gross spread 5.5pp — before fees, and only at the top of what may be a thin book; both platforms charge trade fees and capital locks up until the market resolves, so the executable edge is usually smaller (often zero).
View all arbsBackground, methodology, and platform context
Compare Venezuela Head of State on December 31, 2026 prediction market odds side by side across Polymarket, Kalshi. Platforms show similar odds, with an average spread of just 1.6pp. Close agreement often signals strong market consensus. With $98.95M in combined trading volume across 19 outcomes, this is one of the most actively traded cross-platform prediction markets.
Descriptions normalized for comparison (outcome names replaced with [OUTCOME])
This market will resolve to the individual who officially holds the position of the head of state of Venezuela on Dec 31, 2026 at 12 PM ET. For the purposes of this market, "officially holds" refers to the individual that was formally appointed, confirmed (if confirmation is required), and sworn in as the head of state of Venezuela or otherwise confirmed by official government information as being the head of state of Venezuela. If the Venezuelan government does not clearly state who is the head of state, the market will resolve to the individual who is listed as the Head of State by the UN (see: https://www.un.org/dgacm/en/content/protocol/hshgnfa). In the event that more than one official head of state is listed by the Venezuelan government, this market will resolve to the individual who is listed as having primary status. If no distinction is made, the market will resolve to the individual who first assumed the position. If no individual holds the position this market will resolve to “No Head of State”. The following do NOT constitute "officially holding" the role: nominated, announced, or designated as the head of state of Venezuela but appointment not yet effective; appointed with an effective date after Dec 31, 2026; previously served as the head of state of Venezuela but term has expired, resigned, or been terminated before Dec 31, 2026; serving as the head of state of Venezuela in a consultant, contractor, or unofficial capacity; named as successor or heir apparent to the head of state of Venezuela but not yet appointed; or holding a different role with oversight of the head of state of Venezuela but not the specified position itself. The primary resolution source will be official information from the UN recognized government of Venezuela. If the Government of Venezuela does not clearly state who is the head of state, information from the UN and a consensus of credible reporting may be used. Note: this market is mutually exclusive.
If [OUTCOME] officially holds the position of the head of state of Venezuela on Dec 31, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET, then the market resolves to Yes.
For the purposes of this contract, "officially holds" means any of the following: Richard Grenell has been formally appointed, confirmed (if confirmation is required), and sworn in as the head of state of Venezuela Richard Grenell is listed in official government directories, organizational charts, or equivalent authoritative sources as the head of state of Venezuela Richard Grenell is actively serving as the head of state of Venezuela with full authority and responsibilities (not suspended, on leave, or in acting/interim capacity unless explicitly specified) The following do NOT constitute "officially holding" the role: Nominated, announced, or designated as the head of state of Venezuela but appointment not yet effective Appointed with an effective date after Dec 31, 2026 Previously served as the head of state of Venezuela but term has expired, resigned, or been terminated before Dec 31, 2026 Serving as the head of state of Venezuela in a consultant, contractor, or unofficial capacity Named as successor or heir apparent to the head of state of Venezuela but not yet appointed Holding a different role with oversight of the head of state of Venezuela but not the specified position itself Clarification (04/15/26): To help clarify this market, if the Expiration Date were today at this time, this market would resolve Yes to Nicolás Maduro and No to all other strikes. Under the Payout Criterion, a person “officially holds” the role if any one of three criteria is met: (i) the person has been formally appointed, confirmed (if confirmation is required), and sworn into the role; (ii) the person is listed in official government directories, organizational charts, or equivalent authoritative sources as holding the role; or (iii) the person is actively serving in the role with full authority and responsibilities (not suspended, on leave, or in acting/interim capacity unless explicitly specified). Maduro satisfies (i) and (ii). Maduro was sworn into his current term on January 10, 2025. Venezuelan state institutions currently recognize Maduro as the constitutional president and treat Delcy Rodríguez as the acting president. A Supreme Tribunal of Justice ruling affirmed Maduro as the constitutional president and ordered Rodríguez to serve in an acting capacity. The National Assembly, Defense Ministry, Rodríguez herself, and the Presidency website all continue to identify Maduro as the official president. Because Rodríguez serves only in an acting capacity, she does not satisfy "officially holds." Maduro satisfies the Payout Criterion based on his formal appointment to the role, his swearing-in, and his continued recognition as the officeholder by the authoritative government sources prioritized by the Source Agency hierarchy. His detention in the United States is not disqualifying under the Payout Criterion absent a formal termination, resignation, removal, or expiration of his term as recognized by the listed Source Agencies. This clarification reflects current facts. If circumstances change — including a formal removal, resignation, expiration of term, or formal designation of a successor as constitutional president — Kalshi will resolve the Contract in accordance with the Payout Criterion based on those facts.
Different platforms may use different resolution criteria, data sources, and settlement timelines.