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Venezuelan President Maduro vows to stop using WhatsApp, switch to Telegram

Nicolas Maduro said that "WhatsApp is being used to threaten Venezuela"

MEXICO, August 6. /TASS/. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has vowed to stop using the WhatsApp messenger and switch to Telegram and WeChat.

"I'm going to break ties with WhatsApp. Because WhatsApp is being used to threaten Venezuela. So, I'm going to delete my WhatsApp from my phone forever. I'll gradually transfer my contacts to Telegram, to WeChat," Maduro said during a rally of his supporters who marched through the streets of Caracas in his support.

"This must be done. WhatsApp, get out of Venezuela! Because it is where criminals threaten the youth and the people's leaders [of Venezuela]," Maduro added, as his speech was broadcast by the Venezolana de Television TV channel.

"From phones in Colombia, Miami, Peru and Chile, these cowards hide behind the anonymity [of the messenger]. <...> But I say to the cowardly fascists: you will hide, but the patriotic and revolutionary youth are on the streets, and we will never hide," the Venezuelan leader noted. "WhatsApp, go to hell!" Maduro summed up.

Earlier, Nicolas Maduro accused TikTok and Instagram (banned in Russia, owned by the Meta corporation, recognized as extremist in Russia) of inciting hatred in the country. He noted that TikTok has distributed videos calling for violence against supporters of the current Venezuelan government.

Maduro won the presidential election in Venezuela on July 28. The next day, right-wing extremists provoked riots and attacks on police and military personnel in Caracas and other cities. More than 77 military and law enforcement officers were injured, and two were killed. Later by the armed forces and law enforcement agencies managed to restore public order in Caracas and other cities.

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