The messenger is being used by “fascists” to spread violence, according to the Venezuelan president
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has publicly uninstalled WhatsApp from his phone and asked his supporters to follow his lead, claiming that the platform is being used to undermine the South American nation.
In a statement broadcast by the TV network Telesur in Caracas on Tuesday, Maduro said that the Meta-owned messaging app is being exploited by “fascists” to incite violence.
“All of us who currently communicate via WhatsApp will communicate via WeChat and Telegram from now on, and we will be happy. Because WhatsApp will not be in the hands of Colombian drug traffickers to attack Venezuela. It will not be in the hands of traitors, neither of the North American Empire … It is technological imperialism,” Maduro stated.
He further demonstrated his smartphone’s display showing the process of uninstalling of the app, and said: “I am free of WhatsApp, I’m at peace…”
Earlier in the day, during a rally of his supporters in Caracas, Maduro urged residents to delete their WhatsApp accounts and switch to Telegram and WeChat.
“This must be done. WhatsApp, get out of Venezuela! Because it is where criminals threaten the youth and the people’s leaders,” Maduro proclaimed in a televised speech.
“From phones in Colombia, Miami, Peru and Chile, these cowards hide behind the anonymity [of the messenger] … But I say to the cowardly fascists: you will hide, but the patriotic and revolutionary youth are on the streets, and we will never hide,” the Venezuelan leader proclaimed, adding “WhatsApp, go to hell!”
On Sunday, Maduro also said TikTok and Instagram were being used to promote “hate” and vowed to regulate their use.
The South American leader’s attack on social media platforms follows recent protests that erupted in Venezuela following the announcement of the presidential election results in which he was declared the winner. Maduro condemned the rallies as an attempted “coup against Venezuela.” Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez also accused the Western-backed opposition of attempting a “media coup” and condemned the protests.
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) on July 28 declared Maduro the winner of the country’s presidential election. On Friday, Venezuelan authorities ratified Maduro’s victory after the final ballot count revealed that he had won 52% of the vote, compared to 43% for his main rival Edmundo Gonzalez.
Maduro previously clashed with Elon Musk, accusing the US government and the South African-born businessman of attempting to orchestrate a coup in his country.
Maduro will be serving a third consecutive six-year term, after first taking office in 2013 following the death of President Hugo Chavez. Most Latin American states, particularly members of the Lima Group, refused to recognize his previous reelection in 2018, along with the US and the EU.
