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New Delhi: Starlink has said it will provide free internet service in Venezuela until February 3rd. The announcement came soon after the United States carried out a sudden overnight military operation in Venezuela on January 3. During the operation, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, were arrested.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Starlink said, “Starlink is providing free broadband service to the people of Venezuela through February 3rd, ensuring continued connectivity.” Elon Musk shared the post and added, “In support of the people of Venezuela”.
According to reports, Maduro and Flores were taken from the capital, Caracas, in a US helicopter in the early hours of Saturday. They were later moved to the USS Iwo Jima, a US Navy ship, at an undisclosed location in the Caribbean Sea. Former US President Donald Trump shared the first image of Maduro after his arrest on social media.
Elon Musk reshared Trump’s post and wrote, “Congratulations, President Trump! This is a win for the world and a clear message to evil dictators everywhere.” In another post, Musk said, “It is heartwarming to see so many Venezuelans celebrating their country freed from a brutal tyrant.”
After Maduro’s removal, Trump said that the United States would temporarily “run” Venezuela. He stated that this would continue until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” of power could be achieved. When asked about who would lead Venezuela during this period, Trump said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in talks with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.
Trump told reporters that Rodriguez (interim president of Venezuela) was ready to work with Washington and was willing to do “whatever” the US required. Speaking about her response, Trump said, “I think she was quite gracious,” and added, “We can't take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn't have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind.”
Meanwhile, the situation inside Venezuela remains tense. The Venezuelan government has declared a state of national emergency and strongly criticised the US action, calling it “military aggression”. The country’s vice president said that Maduro remains Venezuela’s only legitimate leader, rejecting the claims made by the United States.
