In a move that has escalated tensions in Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro has signed a decree blocking access to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, for 10 days. The decision, announced on August 8, follows widespread protests and international scrutiny of the country’s recent presidential election, which Maduro claims to have won.
Maduro, in a televised address, accused Twitter of being used to incite violence and unrest after the July 28 election. He pointed to the platform’s ownership by Elon Musk, with whom he has engaged in public clashes since the election results were announced. The opposition, backed by several Western governments, maintains that they won the election and have provided evidence to support their claim.
The unrest in Venezuela stems from the highly contested election, with Maduro claiming a third term despite widespread allegations of electoral fraud. The opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, has also asserted victory and the absence of detailed vote tallies has fueled distrust in the results.
Protests erupted across Venezuela and abroad, with social media serving as a key platform to mobilize support for the opposition and calls for Maduro’s resignation. Earlier this week, Maduro had urged his supporters to abandon WhatsApp, another popular messaging app, in favor of Telegram or WeChat, alleging it was being used to threaten security personnel.
The 10-day ban on Twitter marks a further escalation in the ongoing political crisis. International condemnation has followed, with foreign ministers from Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil demanding the release of the vote tallies. Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has also called on Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to intervene and encourage dialogue between the government and the opposition.
Despite the ban, Twitter has not yet responded to requests for comment. The move further underscores the deep political divide in Venezuela and raises concerns about freedom of speech and the role of social media in shaping public discourse during times of political upheaval.
