Venezuela’s Maduro Blames Social Media for Post-Election Protests
Amidst protests following the July 28 elections, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused social media platforms of facilitating a “cyber-fascist” coup. He specifically targeted TikTok and Instagram, claiming they spread hatred to divide the Venezuelan people.
“They used the electoral process (…) to spread hatred through TikTok and Instagram. I accuse TikTok and Instagram of their responsibility in spreading hatred to divide Venezuelans,” Maduro declared, requesting recommendations from his Security Council to regulate social media and prevent a “criminal cyberfascist coup d’état.”
Maduro further accused the billionaire Elon Musk of orchestrating the “attacks against Venezuela” and claimed responsibility for a “massive hack” against the National Electoral Council (CNE) system, which has yet to provide a detailed explanation.
During a rally at the Miraflores presidential palace, Maduro announced his intention to delete his WhatsApp account due to its alleged use for threats against Venezuela. He called for a “voluntary, progressive and radical” withdrawal of the application, owned by the American company Meta, which also owns Facebook and Instagram.
Digital security expert David Aragort suggested that the government might attempt to block access to WhatsApp, citing a similar move by Cuba in 2021.
Opposition leader Juan Guaidó denounced the government’s tactics, claiming they aimed to intimidate the population and suppress communication. He has been banned from traditional media outlets and primarily communicates through social media.
The protests that erupted following the election resulted in at least 11 deaths and 2,000 arrests, according to Maduro and human rights organizations respectively. Popular hashtags related to the election, such as #fraud and #VenezuelaLibre, trended on social media, alongside #HastaElFinal, the slogan of opposition leader María Corina Machado.