Nicolás Maduro Imposes Ten-Day Ban on Social Media Platform X in Venezuela

The ruler Nicolás Maduro has ordered a ten-day blockade of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in Venezuela. Announced this Thursday, the decision aims to compel the company, owned by Elon Musk, to present "requirements" to Venezuelan authorities. Maduro made the announcement during a political event where he once again criticized the South African-born billionaire.

Maduro, who has accused Musk of being part of a "cyber coup" against him, justified the suspension of the platform by claiming it is used to incite violence and hatred from abroad. “Out with X for 10 days in Venezuela! In our country, we have a Constitution, Law, Institutions, and State. Ten days to present your requirements. Let’s end the schemes on social media to sow violence, hatred, and attacks against Venezuela from the outside. The Venezuelan people deserve respect,” declared the ruler in a post on the very social network he ordered to block.

Following the elections in which he fraudulently declared himself the winner, Maduro lost his governmental entity verification on the social media platform X (the gray badge), and his account was downgraded to a blue verification, available to any user who pays the $8 monthly X Premium subscription.

In his Thursday speech, the Chavista leader also expressed his desire to see the emergence of new homegrown social media platforms that would free the country from the influence of foreign platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok, which he also accused of being "multipliers of hatred."

Political and Social Tensions in Venezuela

These remarks come amid escalating political and social tensions in Venezuela, following the controversial presidential elections on July 28. The crisis in Venezuela, which has intensified with protests following Maduro's self-proclaimed re-election, has had alarming consequences. According to RTVE, the NGO Provea has reported that at least 24 people have lost their lives during the demonstrations, and more than 2,400 have been detained.

The situation has become even more complicated with the recent detention of opposition ex-deputy Américo De Grazia, whose whereabouts were unknown for more than 24 hours. His daughter, María De Grazia, reported through social media that her father is being held at the SEBIN (Servicio Bolivariano de Inteligencia Nacional) headquarters, known as El Helicoide, in Caracas.

The detention of De Grazia, along with other opposition leaders such as Freddy Superlano and Roland Carreño, has been condemned by organizations and political parties in Venezuela. La Causa R, the party to which De Grazia belongs, has stated that the integrity of these detainees rests with Maduro's regime.

Meanwhile, the Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD), the country's largest opposition coalition, has published 83.5% of the electoral records on a website, which they claim prove the victory of their candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia. This action has been rejected by the Venezuelan government, which considers the records to be "forged documents."

In response to the increasing repression, hundreds of people protested in Caracas this Thursday to demand the release of political prisoners and to reject state violence. "Freedom and peace" was the central message of the protest, which concluded with a vigil in the city center. The situation in Venezuela remains tense, with a climate of political and social uncertainty that shows no signs of easing in the short term.