By MunaMubendeOwensonga
Caracas, Venezuela – In a surprise move, President Nicolas Maduro’s administration has announced a 10-day blockade on access to X (formerly Twitter) in Venezuela, citing unspecified “security concerns”.
The unexpected decision, effective immediately, has sparked widespread criticism from opposition leaders, human rights groups, and citizens who rely on the platform for communication and information.
Maduro accused X owner Elon Musk of “inciting hate and fascism” as he announced the move on Thursday.
The president said he signed a resolution presented by telecommunications regulator Conatel, which “has decided to take social network X, formerly known as Twitter, out of circulation for 10 days”.
“Elon Musk is the owner of X and has violated all the rules of the social network itself,” Maduro said following a march by pro-government groups.
“X get out of Venezuela for 10 days!” he said in a speech that was broadcast on state television.
Musk had used X to accuse Maduro of “great electoral fraud” and wrote “Shame on the dictator Maduro” in a post on Monday, sparking Maduro’s ire.
Maduro has slammed Musk for being a driving force behind protests and dissent following the election.
The blockade comes amidst escalating political tensions in the country, with Maduro’s government facing mounting pressure from the opposition and international community over issues of democracy, human rights, and economic management.
The move also follows a contentious presidential election on July 28, in which Maduro was declared the winner with 51.2 percent of votes, according to election authorities.
Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who had been leading in opinion polls, was awarded 44.2 percent of votes, but detailed results have yet to be released.
The opposition says it won in a landslide, with more than 7 million votes compared to Maduro’s 3.3 million votes.
Countries including the United States, Argentina, and Chile have refused to recognize Maduro’s claimed victory, instead urging transparency and the publication of the voting tallies.
China and Russia have congratulated Maduro on his victory.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico on Thursday called on the National Electoral Council (CNE) to publish the vote tallies, citing concerns about transparency and legitimacy.
“The voices of Venezuelan voters will not be silenced by repression, censorship, or disinformation. The world is watching,” Brian A Nichols, the assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs at the US Department of State, said in a post on X.
Maduro has also urged supporters to abandon Meta-owned WhatsApp in favor of Telegram or WeChat, saying the messaging app was being used to threaten the families of soldiers and police officers.
The 10-day blockade has left many Venezuelans scrambling to find alternative means of communication and information.
“This is a huge inconvenience for me,” said Caracas resident Maria Rodriguez. “I rely on X to stay informed and connect with others. I hope this is resolved soon.”
The Venezuelan government has not provided a clear explanation for the duration of the blockade or what specific measures will be taken to address the alleged security concerns.
The move has sparked fears of further restrictions on online freedom and censorship in the country.
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