Photo composition showing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a YouTube error message, and the Venezuelan flag. Photo: El Imparcial (Mexico).
On Friday, September 19, the video streaming platform YouTube closed the channel of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro without warning. The channel had more than 233,000 subscribers and was used to share the Venezuelan government’s perspective.
Users trying to access the channel now find a message that reads: “This page is not available. We apologize for the inconvenience. Try doing a new search.”
The account, which bore the president’s name, broadcast all of his activities, including his weekly television program Con Maduro+, which airs on Mondays at 7:00 p.m.
An official statement from YouTube is still awaited. The company is generally required to keep its community informed about the rules that govern it.
This situation comes amid a US military deployment in the Caribbean, justified by Washington as part of the “war on drugs” effort. This has been accompanied by aggressive rhetoric against Venezuela’s government. Many analysts view these actions as preparation for a potential military operation aimed at regime change.
In a press conference on September 15, President Maduro accused the United States of violating international law by allowing vessels to pass through the exclusive economic zones of Caribbean countries, including Venezuela. Meanwhile, the US government announced the killing of 17 Venezuelans in strikes on small boats allegedly carrying drugs. Local and international experts have labeled these killings extrajudicial assassinations.
President Maduro: Facebook Has Not Responded about the Closure of my Account
While the political nature of the account closure has not been confirmed, it cannot be ruled out. This action aligns with a pattern of behavior by US-based social media corporations against the leadership of Venezuela’s socialist revolution.
The news agency Telesur reported that the account’s deletion occurred “without explanation,” noting that the measure occurred in the context of hybrid warfare operations by the United States against Venezuela.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SF
