After publicly supporting opposition leader María Corina Machado, billionaire Elon Musk has become the "public enemy" number one of the Nicolás Maduro regime. In a recent outburst, Maduro accused Musk of planning to "invade Venezuela."
During a speech to the high-ranking military and political members of his regime, the autocratic leader of Miraflores lashed out against the mogul following an election widely condemned as fraudulent by both the opposition and the international community.
According to Maduro, social media platforms create a virtual reality controlled by their "new arch-enemy, the famous and desperate Elon Musk." "He wants to come with his rockets and an army to invade Venezuela. Elon Musk, it's good that you showed your face because we knew you were behind everything, with your money, with your satellites," Maduro accused the owner of Tesla and SpaceX.
Maduro's rant grew even more surreal as he accused Musk of "controlling Argentina" and attempting to "control the world." He claimed, "He is after your lithium, Argentine people. He already controls Ecuador. He represents the fascist ideology worldwide, the economic power backing the extreme right-wing antisocial fascist ideology. And now we have him as the arch-enemy of Venezuela's peace."
In a childlike display of bravado, the usurper of power and destroyer of Venezuelan sovereignty told the tech magnate to shut up. Maduro, irritated by Musk's posts advocating for change in the country, challenged him to a showdown. "Control yourself; your tweets will lead to your downfall, just as the right-wing led all American politicians to failure. Elon Musk, whoever messes with me will fail, whoever messes with Venezuela will fail. Elon Musk, you want a fight? Let's do it. I'm ready. I'm the son of Bolívar and Chávez. I have no fear of you, Elon Musk. Let's go. Wherever you want. As we say in Caracas, in the neighborhoods, if you want, I want, Elon Musk. Name the place."
The video clip of Maduro’s challenge was shared by Musk on his X profile with a scathing comment: "The donkey knows more than Maduro." Musk later added, "Sorry for comparing the poor donkey to Maduro. It's an insult to the animal kingdom."
Emboldened by the bravado of Maduro, Musk kept a close eye on the latest news from Venezuela, especially those concerning protests and demonstrations against the results provided by the National Electoral Council (CNE). "If the military supports the will of the people, it's over for Maduro," Musk declared, sharing a video of National Guard soldiers joining the public protests.
"The people of Venezuela want change!" Musk replied to Maduro in another post.
Understanding the Tensions Between Elon Musk and Nicolás Maduro
This section aims to answer some of the most pressing questions about the recent conflict between Elon Musk and Nicolás Maduro.
Why did Nicolás Maduro accuse Elon Musk of wanting to invade Venezuela?
Nicolás Maduro accused Elon Musk of wanting to invade Venezuela following Musk's support for opposition leader María Corina Machado. Maduro claimed that Musk controls a "virtual reality" created by social media and is behind various international conspiracies.
How did Elon Musk respond to Maduro's accusations?
Elon Musk responded to Maduro's accusations by mocking him on social media, sharing a video of Maduro’s challenge along with the comment, "The donkey knows more than Maduro." He continued to follow the situation in Venezuela closely, particularly the protests against the election results.