Venezuela's Maduro Orders 10-Day Shutdown of X Over Elon Musk Dispute
- A presidential election dispute has escalated into a conflict between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter).
- Maduro claims victory in the election with 51% support, but opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez disputes the results.
- Protests following the election have led to at least 23 deaths, with no clear resolution in sight.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered a 10-day ban on the social network X (previously known as Twitter) in the country after a conflict with its owner, Elon Musk.
Maduro accused Musk, the outspoken billionaire behind Tesla, of violating the platform's rules by “inciting hatred” and stirring political unrest in Venezuela.
The tension stems from the controversial results of the recent presidential election held on July 28th. Maduro’s campaign declared victory, securing a third term for the Chavismo socialist movement, despite the lack of broad consensus.
Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, representing an alliance of opposing parties, challenged the results. He claimed to have data from over 80% of the roughly 30,000 electronic voting machines used nationwide, showing that he was the real winner. Although electoral authorities have yet to release the official voting tallies, they have declared Maduro the victor with 51% of the vote.
Maduro has labeled his 74-year-old opponent a puppet of the United States, which, along with Argentina and Chile, has refused to recognize Maduro's claimed victory. On the other hand, China and Russia have congratulated Maduro as he prepares for his third term.
On Thursday night in Caracas, it became apparent that posts were not loading on X, affecting both private phone services and the state-owned Movilnet network.
“X out for 10 days! Elon Musk out!” Maduro declared during a national television address, which was also shared on X.
“Shame on Dictator Maduro”
After the election, the dispute between President Maduro and Elon Musk spilled over onto the social media platform. Musk took to X to post, “Shame on Dictator Maduro,” accusing the 61-year-old leader of “major election fraud.” In response, Maduro fired back during a televised speech, challenging Musk directly: “Elon Musk, I’m ready. I’m not afraid of you. Let’s fight, wherever you want.”
The contested election and Maduro's declared victory have plunged Venezuela into turmoil, sparking protests and counter-actions across the country. Much of the debate and dissent are unfolding online, with the country’s Observatory for Social Conflict reporting at least 23 deaths during the protests.
