Venezuela's Maduro, Elon Musk battle it out online
Musk - who leads SpaceX and Tesla, and owns the social network X - is a capitalist icon who backs Donald Trump, meaning he is everything that the socialist Maduro despises.
This combination of pictures created on 31 July 2024, shows Venezuelan President and presidential candidate Nicolas Maduro reacting following the presidential election results in Caracas on 29 July 2024, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk arriving for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to a joint meeting of Congress at the US Capitol on 24 July 2024. Picture: AFP
CARACAS - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose claim to victory at the polls has been widely contested, is no friend of billionaire Elon Musk, and the feeling is clearly mutual, with their war of words escalating amid the political crisis in Caracas.
Musk -- who leads SpaceX and Tesla, and owns the social network X -- is a capitalist icon who backs Donald Trump, meaning he is everything that the socialist Maduro despises.
But in recent days, the bus driver-turned-leader of oil-rich, cash-poor Venezuela has Musk -- who he calls his "arch-enemy" -- in his sights.
Maduro has accused Musk of being behind "attacks against Venezuela" and possibly the mastermind of an alleged "computer hacking" at the National Electoral Council (CNE), which declared Maduro the winner of Sunday's vote without providing detailed data.
On Tuesday, following a meeting of Maduro's top political and military advisors, he announced the creation of a special committee, aided by Russian and Chinese experts, to evaluate the nation's biosecurity and an attack on the CNE's communications systems.
"The attacks, I am sure, were directed by the power of Elon Musk," he said.
Opposition figures and observers do not believe there was actually a hack, but that authorities self-sabotaged the system so they would not have to provide the real election results.
Before voters cast their ballots, the 61-year-old Maduro was running well behind opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in independent opinion polls.
Late Tuesday, Maduro addressed hundreds of supporters from his balcony -- and once again attacked the 53-year-old Musk.
"Venezuela, as I said yesterday and today, is facing domestic and international aggression from world powers, and now it is evident that Elon Musk is obsessed with the idea of taking over Venezuela and ruling it from abroad," Maduro said.
"He is largely responsible for these attacks and acts of aggression," he added, suggesting the existence of a "global alliance of the far right, the fascist far right, drug traffickers, Elon Musk and the imperialist US government."
"All those who come after Venezuela, we will eliminate them."
'SHAME ON DICTATOR MADURO'
Musk has regularly slammed Maduro's policies on X.
When asked about the criticisms, a senior Venezuelan foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity: "We know who Musk is. He's on the far right and supports (Argentine President Javier) Milei... So we take all these remarks as compliments."
Before Sunday's election, Musk posted: "It is time for the people of Venezuela to have the chance for a better future. Support Maria Corina!"
He was referring to the wildly popular opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who was barred from running against Maduro.
After the vote, and the announcement of the results, Musk said Sunday: "Shame on Dictator Maduro" and "What a travesty."
He also posted a 2020 announcement from the US Drug Enforcement Administration of criminal charges against Maduro for drug trafficking and a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
The posts sparked outrage from Maduro.
"He wants to come here with his guns and an army to invade Venezuela. Elon Musk, good thing you showed your face because we knew you were behind it all! With your money and your satellites," Maduro said.
"He wants to control the world, he already controls Argentina... You want to fight? Elon Musk, I am ready. I am the son of Bolivar and Chavez, I'm not afraid of you, Elon Musk... The people defeated Elon Musk's bots, we defeated Elon Musk's bots!"
Musk's retort came in Spanish: "An ass knows more than Maduro."
The billionaire later added: "Sorry to have compared the poor ass to Maduro. That was an insult to the animal kingdom."
As the dispute went viral on X, Musk said he was willing to take on Maduro physically, adding that if he lost, he would take the Venezuelan strongman on "a free ride to Mars."
"Elon Musk, let's fight," Maduro told a press conference.
"But come over here, in the Poliedro (stadium), just you and me. If I beat you, Elon Musk, I'll take you up on the trip to Mars, but you're coming with me."