TLDR
- Venezuela has blocked access to Binance, X (formerly Twitter), and other online services
- The block affects users of CANTV, a state-owned internet service provider
- Binance’s peer-to-peer service is popular in Venezuela for exchanging bolivars for crypto
- The blocks come amid disputes over recent presidential election results
- Binance has assured users that their funds are safe despite the access restrictions
The Venezuelan government has implemented blocks on several online platforms, including the cryptocurrency exchange Binance and social media site X (formerly known as Twitter). These restrictions primarily affect users of CANTV, Venezuela’s state-owned internet service provider.
Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, confirmed the access issues in a statement to its Venezuelan customers.
“Like several websites of companies from different segments in Venezuela, including social networks, Binance pages have been facing access restrictions,” the company said.
Binance assured users that their funds remain secure despite the access problems.
The block on Binance could have significant impacts for many Venezuelans. The exchange’s peer-to-peer (P2P) service is widely used in the country as a means to exchange the local currency, the bolivar, for cryptocurrencies. This service has become an important tool for Venezuelans dealing with high inflation rates.
Estimados Binancians,
Al igual que varios sitios web de empresas de diferentes segmentos en Venezuela, incluidas las redes sociales, las páginas de Binance han estado enfrentando restricciones de acceso.
Queremos asegurarles que sus fondos están SAFU bajo nuestros robustos…
— Binance Latinoamérica (@BinanceLATAM) August 10, 2024
In addition to Binance, the Venezuelan government has also restricted access to X. President Nicolas Maduro announced in a televised speech that he had ordered the telecommunications regulator Conatel to ban access to X in the country for 10 days. This comes after a public disagreement between Maduro and X owner Elon Musk.
Other platforms affected by the recent blocks include the encrypted messaging app Signal, online marketplace Mercado Libre, and social news site Reddit. The anti-censorship organization VE sin Filtro has recommended that Venezuelans use virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass these restrictions.
The timing of these blocks coincides with unrest following Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election. Both incumbent President Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo González have claimed victory in the election.
The government-controlled electoral authority declared Maduro the winner with just over 51% of the vote, but González claims that voting machine printouts show he won with nearly 70% of the vote.
🚨 Bloqueado Binance en CANTV 🚨
Esta noche detectamos un bloqueo DNS al exchange de criptomonedas @Binance, el cual afecta el normal funcionamiento de su web y su aplicación móvil.
El bloqueo fue detectado por primera vez a las 8:15 PM de hoy #9Ago pic.twitter.com/aivmVT2VNi
— VE sin Filtro (@vesinfiltro) August 10, 2024
Several countries and international bodies, including the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and multiple South American nations, have not recognized Maduro’s claim to victory. Many have called for the release of detailed vote counts.
Binance has stated that it is “monitoring the situation closely to address it in the best and quickest way possible.” However, the company has not specified whether it will allow Venezuelans to use VPNs to access its services without triggering security flags.
The blocks on these platforms have the potential to impact thousands of Venezuelans who rely on these services for communication, commerce, and financial transactions. As of now, there has been no official announcement from the Venezuelan government acknowledging these actions or indicating when access might be restored.
