Venezuelan President’s YouTube channel vanishes

(MENAFN) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s YouTube account has been removed from the platform as tensions between Caracas and Washington continue to escalate. Reports indicate the channel went offline on Friday and has since disappeared from search results, remaining inaccessible even via direct link. A notice now reads, “This page is unavailable.”

YouTube’s parent company, US-based Google, has not commented on the removal. Maduro’s channel, which had over 233,000 subscribers, mainly showcased his speeches and weekly television program. The platform typically removes accounts for “repeated violations” including misinformation, hate speech, or interference with “democratic processes.” Venezuelan authorities have not yet publicly addressed the takedown.

The move coincides with a period of heightened tensions between the US and Venezuela. Relations deteriorated when Washington refused to recognize Maduro’s reelection and worsened after the recent deployment of American warships and fighter jets to the Southern Caribbean. Last month, at least eight US Navy vessels, an attack submarine, and roughly 4,000 troops were positioned near Venezuela’s coast, with the stated mission of targeting drug cartels. US officials also claimed three Venezuelan boats were sunk during the operation, though no evidence was offered that the occupants were involved in criminal activity.

Venezuelan officials condemned the deployment as a violation of sovereignty and a potential plot to overthrow Maduro. Earlier this month, Maduro sent a letter to President Trump asserting that Venezuela had dismantled major drug trafficking networks and dismissing contrary reports as fake news. He also proposed direct dialogue, writing, “President, I hope that together we can defeat the falsehoods that have sullied our relationship, which must be historic and peaceful,” as shared by Vice President Delcy Rodriguez on Telegram.

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