Maduro calls for Venezuelans to delete WhatsApp in growing crackdown

Maduro called on Aug 5, 2024, to boycott the popular messaging application WhatsApp, alleging that military, police and community leaders who defend his controversial re-election have received ‘threats’ through this channel. — AFP

President Nicolás Maduro asked his supporters to remove WhatsApp, the Meta-owned messaging app, from their phones, as he said it’s being used by “fascists” to spread violence.

Speaking under the rain at a rally called by the ruling party’s youth branch, Maduro called for a “voluntary, progressive and radical withdraw” from WhatsApp. He said he was instead switching to Telegram and the Chinese messaging app WeChat.