Starlink to Provide Free Internet Services in Venezuela Through February 3
The announcement coincided with dramatic scenes involving deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro following his removal by the United States
Washington: Billionaire Elon Musk on Sunday expressed support for the people of Venezuela as SpaceX-owned Starlink announced it was providing free broadband internet services in the country for a limited period, amid fast-moving political developments.
In a post on X, Musk wrote, “In support of the people of Venezuela,” while reposting a message from Starlink outlining the initiative.
In the reposted message, Starlink said, “Starlink is providing free broadband service to the people of Venezuela through February 3, ensuring continued connectivity.”
The announcement coincided with dramatic scenes involving deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro following his removal by the United States. Video released by US authorities showed the captured leader in handcuffs during a staged “perp walk.”
In the footage, Maduro was seen wishing reporters and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents a Happy New Year and Good Night as he was led into custody.
Amid these developments, Venezuela’s Supreme Court moved to address the leadership vacuum by ordering Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the powers and duties of acting president after the US removed Nicolas Maduro, CNN reported.
The order, announced late Saturday local time, concluded that Maduro is in a “material and temporary impossibility to exercise his functions.”
According to the ruling, read by Justice Tania D’Amelio during a session broadcast on state television channel VTV, Rodriguez will “assume and exercise, as acting president, all the powers, duties, and faculties inherent to the office of president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in order to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the nation,” CNN reported.
The court cited Venezuela’s constitution, which states that when there is a temporary or absolute absence of the president, the vice president must assume the role.
Further background on the situation was provided by former US National Security Advisor John Bolton. Speaking to CNN, Bolton said that a plan to remove Maduro had been presented to President Donald Trump during his first term but failed to advance because administration officials were unable to keep Trump “focused” on the issue.
Bolton said Trump was already “very interested in Venezuelan oil” during his first term and that while his team managed to get him interested in removing Maduro, they “couldn’t keep him focused on it.”
He added that Venezuela’s opposition at the time believed economic pressure alone would be sufficient to fracture Maduro’s regime.
According to CNN, the United States later launched what Trump described as a “large-scale strike against Venezuela” and captured Maduro to face charges, carrying out the regime change effort without congressional approval.
