Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has enforced a 10-day suspension of the social media platform X in reaction to widespread unrest following a disputed election.
This move comes after Maduro accused X’s owner, Elon Musk, of promoting hate and fascism.
The ban, orchestrated by Venezuela’s telecommunications authority Conatel, aims to remove the platform from operation in the country for the specified period.
Maduro’s decision was announced after pro-government demonstrations, with the president criticizing Musk for allegedly breaching the platform’s regulations.
The suspension is a response to claims of election fraud and mounting protests from both domestic and international communities.
Election results had declared Maduro victorious with 51.2% of the vote on July 28, while opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who led in pre-election polls, received 44.2%.
This discrepancy has sparked accusations of electoral fraud and public outcry demanding a more transparent vote count.
Countries such as the United States, Argentina, and Chile have voiced skepticism about the legitimacy of Maduro’s win, urging for the release of detailed results.
Meanwhile, China and Russia have congratulated him.
The controversy has also led Maduro to call for a shift from Meta-owned WhatsApp to alternative messaging platforms like Telegram or WeChat, citing threats made via the former.
The tension between Maduro and Musk has escalated, with Musk accusing Maduro of electoral fraud and Maduro criticizing Musk for fueling dissent.
