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Venezuelan leader slams TikTok for ‘wanting civil war’ in his country

  • Nicolas Maduro, reeling from protests over his disputed re-election, says Chinese-owned company has suspended his access to the platform

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro walks through the Supreme Tribunal of Justice in Caracas on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Igor Patrickin Washington
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday accused TikTok of seeking to stoke civil war in his country after the Chinese-owned company blocked live-streaming services on his account.
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Maduro claimed the app suspended his access to the short-video platform until August 19.

“Look how immoral TikTok is. I accuse the directors and owners of TikTok of wanting a civil war in Venezuela, of supporting fascism in Latin America and the world,” Maduro said during a meeting of the country’s defence council.
“They are responsible for the victory of [Argentine President Javier] Milei and the fascists,” Maduro added. “They have an alliance with fascism in Venezuela and throughout Latin America.”
Demonstrators in Mexico City on Saturday protest against election results that awarded Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a third term in office. Photo: Reuters
Demonstrators in Mexico City on Saturday protest against election results that awarded Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a third term in office. Photo: Reuters

The Venezuelan leader said he received an automated message from TikTok justifying the suspension by accusing his profile of “promoting violence”.

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