Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has signed a resolution blocking access to the social media platform X for 10 days. Maduro has frequently criticized X owner Elon Musk since Venezuela’s presidential election on July 28, after the U.S.-based Tesla and Space X entrepreneur called him a “dictator” and accused him of carrying out “major election fraud.” X has now reportedly been blocked on two private telephone networks and the state-owned Movilnet.
Thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets last month after Maduro claimed to have won the election, despite widespread reports of victory for the opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez. After the Venezuelan Electoral Council announced Maduro had won the election, Gonzalez claimed on X, “We have in our hands the records that demonstrate our historic, categorical, and mathematically irreversible triumph.” Another opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, said they had obtained more than 70 percent of the tallies, which showed Gonzalez won more than 6.2 million votes and Maduro got around 2.7 million.
Maduro said he had decided to block Venezuelans’ access to X because Musk was “inciting hatred.” In the wake of the election results being announced, Musk posted on X saying, “Shame on dictator Maduro.” Maduro responded live on national television in Venezuela saying: “Do you want to fight? Let’s do it. Elon Musk I’m ready. I’m not afraid of you Elon Musk. Let’s fight wherever you want.”
Musk replied by agreeing to a fight but added: “If I win he resigns as dictator of Venezuela. If he wins I give him a free ride to Mars.” Announcing the 10-day ban on Thursday,Maduro said,”Elon Musk is owner of x and has violated all rules of social network itself.”
Maduro said x was being used by oppositions create political unrest.The president said:”X out for ten days.Elon musk out”.Maduro said he signed resolution following”the proposal made by CONATEL,the National Telecommunications Commission which has decided remove social network x formerly known as twitter from circulation in venezuela for ten days so that they can present their documents.”
The Venezuelan Electoral Council still hasn’t produced final voting tallies from thirty thousand electronic voting machines that were used on July twenty-eight.The United States along with some other nations such as Argentina hasn’t recognized maduro as winner presidential elections instead recognizes gonzalez.
Since elections,Maduro says there is need regulate social networks in venezuela.Maduro claims x is being used threaten families his supporters political allies,military personnel,and police officers.After maduro was announced winner elections protests erupted several venezuelan cities with demonstrators tearing down maduros posters toppling statues late president hugo chavez whom maduros succeeded in two thousand thirteen according local media.Venezuela despite having world largest proven crude oil reserves-has high levels poverty dysfunctional economy.
The United Socialist Party Venezuela was established by Chavez who was elected president nineteen ninety-eight.Initial results chavez party taking control were positive.Poverty unemployment dropped drastically between two thousand four two thousand seven according Center Economic Policy Research.But council foreign relations analysis found chavez decision fire experienced oil industry workers after two thousand-two-thousand-three strikes gutted company important technical expertise.Venezuelan oil production began steadily decline starting two thousand six.Chavez also began offering subsidized oil other politically-aligned countries region under presidency government debt more than doubled.Since maduros came power,Venezuelas economy continued decline-partly owing fall price oil-resulting steep devaluation its currency,lack foreign currency food shortages soaring levels poverty.