Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addresses the media during an event to sign the agreement to recognize the results of the July 28 presidential election, at the National Electoral Council, in Caracas, Venezuela, June 20, 2024.
Miraflores Palace | Via Reuters
Contested Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered a 10-day ban on social networking site X, cutting local residents’ access to the platform after a conflict with Elon Musk.
In a speech translated by CNBC on Thursday, Maduro said he signed a decree asking Venezuela’s telecommunications regulator to block X, because the owner of the company, Musk, “violated all the rules of the social network Twitter, now known as X – all And he has violated (the rules), with causing hatred, fascism, civil war, death and confrontation among the Venezuelan people, (he) has violated all laws in Venezuela … enforce the law.
Venezuela’s National Telecommunications Commission, or Conatel, will “remove X’s social network, formerly known as Twitter, from circulation in Venezuela within 10 days,” allowing X to respond, Maduro added.
Internet monitoring company NetBlocks confirmed that X is now restricted in Venezuela following Maduro’s order.
Some of the country’s internet service providers are shown to have cut off access to the site, with some showing zero availability and others showing limited access, according to a post from NetBlocks on X.
Musk has launched a war of words with Maduro, who claims he won his third six-year term in power in disputed election results.
Musk wrote in a post on X, “Shame on Dictator Maduro” and accused the long-time Venezuelan leader of “primary election fraud.”
In response, Maduro challenged the tech billionaire to fight him, telling national television: “Elon Musk, I’m ready. I’m not afraid of you… Let’s fight, wherever you want.”
In response to X’s post containing footage of Maduro’s comments, Musk said, “I accept.”
Protests erupted in Venezuela after the 2024 presidential election on July 28, which was marred by allegations of electoral fraud and irregularities.
Maduro’s government has cracked down on the demonstrations, with riot police deployed to quell the unrest.
Maduro and his opponent, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, claimed victory in the election, with the national election authority declaring Maduro won 51% of the vote.
However, Washington and other foreign governments have cast doubt on the official results. The US, which back in April reimposed sanctions on Venezuela to pressure the Maduro administration through election concerns, recognized Gonzalez as the winner of the July vote.
