- Introduction
- CANTV and Binance Blockage
- Binance Response and Workarounds
- Social Media Platform X Under Fire
- Political Context
- Conclusion
Introduction
The Venezuelan government has taken harsh measures by blocking access to the major crypto exchange Binance and the popular social media platform X (formerly Twitter). These actions have left many Venezuelans without access to their crypto savings and limited their ability to participate in peer-to-peer markets, which have been an alternative to the unstable national currency.
CANTV and Binance Blockage
On August 9, VE sin Filtro, an organization monitoring internet censorship, reported that the state-owned internet provider CANTV implemented a DNS block on Binance. This led to users' inability to access both the website and the mobile app, making it impossible to conduct transactions.
Binance responded by assuring its users that their funds remain secure despite the block. In an official company statement, Binance said:
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
However, the exchange has not yet clarified whether it will allow its users to bypass the block using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), a common method for circumventing censorship.
Binance Response and Workarounds
VE sin Filtro recommended users to use VPNs to regain access to Binance and other blocked services. However, many users faced difficulties as the government actively works to prevent the use of such workarounds.
Social Media Platform X Under Fire
Apart from Binance, the social media platform X also faced a block. President Nicolas Maduro's administration ordered major ISPs in the country to restrict access to the platform. X confirmed experiencing issues providing access to its platform for users in Venezuela and has not yet offered specific measures to resolve this issue.
Amid these blocks, users also highlighted the messaging app Signal, which was blocked on the same day but remained functional with its "censorship circumvention" settings enabled.
Political Context
These drastic measures followed an intensification of public tensions between Maduro and Elon Musk, who in his statements called Maduro a "dictator" and a "clown." In response, Maduro accused Musk of inciting "hatred, fascism, and civil war."
The escalation occurred after Venezuela's contentious presidential elections on July 28, which ignited widespread protests across the country.
Conclusion
The block on Binance and the social media platform X in Venezuela has serious consequences for users, leaving them without access to important financial and social tools. Amid political instability and economic difficulties, such actions further complicate the lives of ordinary citizens. Calls to use VPNs may temporarily ease access to blocked services, but in the long term, only dialogue and compromise can lead to resolving the conflict.
