In response to escalating post-election unrest, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has decreed a 10-day suspension of the social media platform X. This decision, announced on August 8, comes amid claims that the platform has been used to incite violence following the country’s recent presidential election.
Maduro, who has previously criticised X’s owner Elon Musk, stated that the move was necessary to curb the spread of misinformation and unrest. The decree, issued by the country’s regulatory body Conatel, aims to temporarily remove X from circulation within Venezuela.
The July 28 presidential election has been contentious, with Maduro declaring victory for a third term while the Opposition, supported by several Western governments, claims a win. Detailed vote counts have not been released by either Maduro or the electoral authority, fuelling further disputes.
Protests erupted in Venezuela and among the diaspora, demanding that Maduro step down and recognise Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez’s purported victory. Social media has played a significant role in mobilising these demonstrations.
Additionally, Maduro has advised his supporters to switch from WhatsApp to alternative messaging apps like Telegram or WeChat, accusing WhatsApp of being used to threaten military and police families.
Besides, in his public statements, Maduro has criticised Elon Musk for allegedly inciting hatred and violence. The social media platform has yet to comment on the suspension.
The foreign ministers of Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil have called for Venezuela’s electoral authority to release vote tallies, while Venezuelan Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has urged Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to encourage negotiations between Maduro and the Opposition.
