•Interim President Delcy Rodríguez and X logo
The social networking platform, X became available again in Venezuela yesterday, more than a year after it was blocked under the administration of former President resident Nicolás Maduro.
Access to the platform, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, had been restricted following a dispute between Maduro and the company that escalated after his contested 2024 election victory, reports AFP.
Maduro suspended the service in August 2024 amid heightened criticism and political tension, cutting off ministers, lawmakers and government institutions from using X to communicate with the public.
Interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, who previously served as vice president under Maduro and assumed power following his capture by US forces earlier this month, updated her profile on X with a message calling for unity.
She wrote: “Let us stay united, moving toward economic stability, social justice, and the welfare state we deserve to aspire to.”
While access has begun to return, connectivity remains uneven, with some users reporting spotty service as the platform resumes operation nationwide.
Rodríguez’s move to restore X coincides with broader shifts in Venezuela’s political landscape following Maduro’s detention on January 3 by US military forces.
The former leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, now face charges in the United States relating to alleged drug trafficking.
Before the suspension, X was a key social media service in Venezuela, widely used for political discourse and public communication.
Its return restores an important channel for civic engagement and institutional announcements after more than a year offline.
