Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday took tensions with social media platform X and its owner Elon Musk to new heights, banning the platform in the South American country for 10 days amid furore over a disputed presidential election.
Maduro said he signed a resolution presented by regulator Conatel which "has decided to take social network X, formerly known as Twitter, out of circulation for 10 days" and accused Musk of inciting hate, civil war, and death.
"X get out of Venezuela for 10 days!" he said in a speech which was broadcast on state television.
Maduro and Musk have frequently traded barbs over X, with the platform's owner comparing the Venezuelan president to a donkey, while Maduro has blamed Musk for being a driving force behind protests and dissent following the election.
They have also offered and accepted challenges to fight each other in comments on X and via Venezuelan state television.
The temporary ban on X represents another swipe at Big Tech, after Maduro this week urged supporters to abandon Meta-owned WhatsApp in favor of Telegram or WeChat, saying the messaging app was being used to threaten the families of soldiers and police officers.
WhatsApp declined to comment. X did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
5 dead, more than 80 missing after Philippine ferry fire
US military says it struck vessel in Caribbean, killing 3
At least 14 killed in explosion at weapons depot in Syria
US hits five Iranian oil tankers after attack on Navy ships
UK gives air traffic provider a week to probe outage that halted flights
Serbia's President Vucic dissolves parliament, calls snap elections
With large crowds attending, Norway lays King Harald to rest
Jordan intercepts 18 Iranian ballistic missiles
