Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced plans to temporarily ban the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to a heated public dispute with its owner, Elon Musk, regarding Venezuela’s contested presidential election.
On Thursday, Maduro revealed that he had signed a proposal with the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) to block X in Venezuela for 10 days. He accused Musk of using the platform to incite “hatred, fascism, and civil war” following their public exchange over the election results, which Maduro claims to have won despite widespread international skepticism.
The conflict escalated when Musk publicly criticized Maduro on X, stating, "Maduro is not a good guy," and accused him of "major election fraud." In retaliation, Maduro accused Musk of conspiring against Venezuela, further intensifying the political standoff.
The Venezuelan election, held on July 28, has been a source of significant controversy. While Maduro’s government declared him the victor with 51% of the vote, the United States and other Western nations have rejected the outcome, asserting that opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia won the majority of votes. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement last week, emphasizing that “it is clear” Maduro lost the popular vote.
Protests erupted across Venezuela following the announcement of Maduro's victory, with opposition supporters expressing outrage over what they view as a manipulated electoral process. The election was considered crucial for the future of Venezuela’s democracy and its ailing economy, which has suffered under Maduro's leadership.
In addition to targeting X, Maduro has also voiced his displeasure with the messaging app WhatsApp, owned by Meta, and urged his supporters to stop using the platform, citing unspecified concerns.
The political turmoil has further deepened Venezuela’s crisis, with many young opposition supporters vowing to leave the country if Maduro remains in power. The opposition, united behind González Urrutia, had been seen as posing the strongest challenge to Maduro’s rule in over two decades.
As tensions continue to rise, the international community is closely watching Venezuela's next moves amid growing fears of escalating unrest and repression.
