Maduro Bans X for 10 Days

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, accusing Elon Musk of inciting "civil war," has banned X in the country for 10 days. In a speech Thursday, the Venezuelan leader said he signed a resolution from the national communications regulator "to take social network X, formerly known as Twitter, out of circulation for 10 days," Reuters reports. The AP reports that its journalists in Caracas were unable to load X posts Thursday night on two private services and the state-owned Movilnet. The move follows clashes with Musk over the country's disputed election. The US has recognized Maduro's opponent as the winner.

After Musk posted about Venezuela dozens of times last week, calling Maduro a dictator, a donkey, and a clown, the Venezuelan leader challenged him to a fight. Musk accepted, saying Maduro would get a "free ride to Mars" if he won. In his televised speech Thursday, Maduro said Musk "is the owner of X and has violated all the rules," the BBC reports. "He has violated the rules by inciting hatred, fascism, civil war, death, confrontation of Venezuelans, and has violated all Venezuelan laws," said Maduro, who has previously spoken of the need to regulate social media in the country. Musk, meanwhile, has switched his focus to posting about events in Britain in recent days, claiming that civil war is "inevitable." (More Venezuela stories.)