CARACAS, Venezuela – President Nicolás Maduro has ordered a 10-day ban on access to X in Venezuela, accusing owner Elon Musk of using the social network to incite hatred following the country’s disputed presidential election.
Associated Press journalists in Caracas found that two private phone services and the state-run Movilnet had stopped loading posts about X since Thursday evening.
“Elon Musk is the owner of X and has violated all the rules of the social network itself,” Maduro said in a speech after a march by pro-government groups. Maduro claimed Musk had “incited hatred.”
Maduro also accused his opponents of using the social network to create political unrest.
Venezuela’s president said he signed a resolution “at the suggestion of the National Telecommunications Commission CONATEL, which decided to suspend the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, in Venezuela for 10 days so that they can present their documents.” Maduro did not provide further details about the proceedings initiated against X.
X’s press office did not immediately respond to an email from AP seeking comment.
“X out for 10 days! Elon Musk out!” said Maduro.
The president’s announcement came after Maduro and Musk traded accusations over Venezuela’s disputed July 28 presidential election. Electoral authorities declared Maduro the winner but have not yet released vote tallies. Meanwhile, the opposition claims it has collected data from more than 80% of the 30,000 electronic voting machines across the country showing its candidate, Edmundo González, emerged victorious.
Musk used the social network to accuse the self-proclaimed socialist leader of “major electoral fraud.”
“Shame on the dictator Maduro,” Musk said in a post on Monday.
Since the election, Maduro has expressed the need to “regulate” social networks in Venezuela.
Maduro also denounced his opponents for abusing the social platform to threaten the families of his supporters and political allies, military personnel and police officers, and to spread fear and terror in Venezuela.
