Maduro blocks social media after Musk dispute

Following a dispute with the owner of social media platform X, Elon Musk, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared the service would be blocked in the country for ten days. While it has not been precisely specified when the blockade will begin, Venezuela has been facing protests and riots after its electoral authority declared Maduro the presidential election winner with 51% of votes. The validity of the election results is questioned by the majority of South American countries, Venezuela’s opposition, and the USA, due to a lack of transparent electoral data. On social media, Elon Musk labeled Maduro a ‘dictator’ responsible for ‘widespread election fraud’, prompting Maduro to brand Musk as an ‘arch-enemy of Venezuelan peace.’ Pre-election polls had indicated that the opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, would win with 70% of votes. The contested election has sparked countrywide demonstrations, with at least 24 people killed last week according to human rights organizations.