CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday he had ordered access to the X website blocked in Venezuela for 10 days, accusing its owner Elon Musk of using the social network to promote hatred after the country’s disputed presidential election.
Associated Press journalists in Caracas found that by Thursday evening, messages on the X site had stopped loading on two private phone companies and the state-owned Movilnet.
“Elon Musk is the owner of X and he violated all the rules of the social network itself,” Maduro said in a speech following a rally by pro-government groups. Maduro claimed Musk had “incited hatred.”
Maduro also accused social media of being used by his opponents to create political unrest.
The Venezuelan president said he signed a decision “based on the proposal made by CONATEL, the National Telecommunications Commission, which decided to remove the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, from circulation in Venezuela for 10 days so that it can present its documents.” Maduro did not provide further details about the action taken against X.
X’s press office did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.
“X out for 10 days! Elon Musk out!” Maduro said.
The president’s announcement comes after Maduro and Musk traded accusations over Venezuela’s disputed presidential election on July 28. Electoral authorities announced Maduro Winner but not produced yet Voting resultsMeanwhile, the opposition claims to have collected records from More than 80% Of the 30,000 electronic voting machines across the country, the winner was shown to be their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez.
Musk took to the social media network to accuse the self-proclaimed socialist leader of “massive electoral fraud.”
“Shame on dictator Maduro,” Musk said in a post on his Twitter account on Monday.
Since the elections, Maduro has expressed the need to “regulate” social networks in Venezuela.
Maduro also denounced the use of the social media platform by his opponents to threaten the families of his followers, political allies, military personnel and police officers and to create a state of anxiety in Venezuela.
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