Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has issued a decree to block access to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, for 10 days following a public dispute with the platform’s owner, Elon Musk. The feud between the two escalated after Maduro was declared the winner of last month’s highly contested presidential election.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Tensions between the two have intensified, with Musk referring to Maduro as a “dictator” and a “clown,” while Maduro has accused Musk of inciting “hatred, fascism, and civil war.” These exchanges come amid growing unrest in Venezuela, where anti-government protests have erupted over the disputed election results, leading to hundreds of arrests by security forces.
The election, held on July 28, has been criticized by independent observers as “undemocratic.” The main opposition claims to have evidence that their candidate, Edmundo González, won by a substantial margin. Maduro, however, has alleged that the National Electoral Council (CNE) was the target of a “cyber coup” and has accused Musk of orchestrating an attack on his re-election.
The Carter Center, which monitored the election at the government’s invitation, reported finding “no evidence” of a cyberattack. Despite this, Maduro announced on state television that X would be “withdrawn from circulation” by the country’s telecommunications agency, accusing Musk of violating Venezuelan laws by inciting violence and civil unrest.
In posts on X before the election, Musk voiced support for the opposition and accused Maduro of electoral fraud. Following the disputed results, he continued to criticize Maduro, questioning his intelligence and calling for change in Venezuela.
The CNE has yet to release official vote tallies, despite declaring Maduro the winner. International pressure is mounting, with countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico joining the opposition in demanding the release of the official results. The U.S. and several other countries have recognized González as the legitimate winner, while Venezuela’s Supreme Court has summoned all parties to present their vote tallies by Friday.
Maduro has indicated he will attend the court hearing, but González has refused, citing concerns over his safety and the integrity of the process.
