Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has signed a decree to block access to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, for 10 days, citing its role in inciting post-election violence. The decision comes after widespread protests erupted following the country’s contentious presidential election on July 28, which the opposition claims it won. Maduro, who asserts he secured a third term in office, has yet to release detailed vote counts, further fueling unrest.
The protests, largely promoted on social media, have seen Venezuelans across the country and abroad demanding Maduro’s resignation in favor of opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez. In response, Maduro also urged his supporters to abandon WhatsApp in favor of Telegram or WeChat, accusing X owner Elon Musk of inciting hate and violence. The move to block X has sparked further controversy, as international leaders and opposition figures call for transparency and the release of the election vote tallies.
