• Venezuelan president bans X for 10 days over Musk row
• The dispute began after Maduro was declared the winner of last month’s contested election
• Musk called Maduro a “dictator” and a “clown,” while Maduro accused Musk of inciting hatred
• Maduro has alleged that the election was targeted by a “cyber coup,” accusing Musk of sabotaging his re-election
• Musk had publicly supported the opposition ahead of the election and accused Maduro of election fraud after the results

Venezuelan president bans X for 10 days over Musk row

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has signed a decree blocking access to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) for 10 days after a public feud with its owner, Elon Musk. The dispute began after Maduro was declared the winner of last month’s contested presidential election. Musk called Maduro a “dictator” and a “clown,” while Maduro accused Musk of inciting hatred and violence.

Amid rising anti-government protests over the election, Venezuela’s security forces have arrested hundreds. Independent observers and the main opposition party have labelled the July 28 election as undemocratic, claiming their candidate, Edmundo González, actually won by a wide margin.

Maduro has alleged that the election was targeted by a “cyber coup,” accusing Musk of sabotaging his re-election. However, the Carter Center, which observed the election, found no evidence of such an attack.

Maduro announced on state television that X would be blocked by the national telecommunications agency, accusing Musk of violating Venezuelan laws and inciting unrest. Musk had publicly supported the opposition ahead of the election and accused Maduro of election fraud after the results.

While the National Electoral Council (CNE) has declared Maduro the winner, it has yet to release official vote counts. Several countries, including the US and Brazil, have recognized González as the rightful winner. The Carter Center criticised the election, stating it failed to meet international standards.

Venezuela’s Supreme Court has requested all parties submit their vote tallies by Friday. Maduro has agreed to attend, but González has expressed concerns about his safety and the legitimacy of the process.