In an unprecedented move, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has slammed the brakes on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, by signing a decree that blocks access to the site for 10 days. This explosive decision follows a heated public feud with none other than billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk.
The drama began when Musk, never one to mince words, took to X to denounce Maduro as a “dictator” and a “clown” after the Venezuelan leader claimed victory in last month’s highly controversial presidential election. But the verbal sparring didn’t stop there. Maduro fired back, accusing Musk of inciting “hatred, fascism, and civil war,” stoking the flames of an already tense political climate.
The contested election, which took place on July 28, has been marred by allegations of fraud and heavy-handed tactics by Maduro’s regime. Independent observers have branded the vote as “undemocratic,” and the main opposition party insists that its candidate, Edmundo González, was the true victor by a landslide.
Amidst growing unrest, anti-government protests have erupted across the country, with hundreds detained by Venezuelan security forces in the wake of the disputed results. The international community watches with bated breath as the situation spirals.
Maduro, however, has doubled down, alleging that the country’s electoral authority, the National Electoral Council (CNE), was the target of a “cyber coup” during the election—a coup he blames squarely on Musk. Despite these dramatic claims, the Carter Center, invited by the Venezuelan government to observe the election, stated there was “no evidence” of such an attack.
In a fiery speech broadcast on state television, Maduro announced that X would be “withdrawn from circulation” by the state telecommunications agency, a stunning blow to the freedom of expression in Venezuela. “Elon Musk is the owner of X and has violated all the rules,” declared Maduro. “He has incited hatred, fascism, civil war, and the death of Venezuelans, violating all Venezuelan laws.”
Musk, undeterred by the Venezuelan president’s threats, has continued his attacks, posting ahead of the election that it was “time for the people of Venezuela to have the chance for a better future.” After the election results were announced, he accused Maduro of orchestrating “major election fraud” and demanded, “Shame on Dictator Maduro!” Musk didn’t hold back, comparing Maduro’s intelligence to that of a donkey and saying, “the people of Venezuela have had enough of this clown.”
Despite the CNE declaring Maduro the victor, they have yet to release the official vote tallies, a point of contention that has only added fuel to the fire. Calls from the opposition for transparency in the vote count have been echoed by the governments of Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.
As the world watches this high-stakes showdown between a powerful political leader and a billionaire tech giant, one thing is clear: the battle over Venezuela’s future is far from over.
