Elon Musk Announces Free Starlink Services for Venezuela After Maduro’s Capture

In Venezuela, Starlink has provided free internet service till February 3. The statement follows the rapid nighttime military action by the United States against Venezuela on January 3, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores. "Starlink is providing free broadband service to the people of Venezuela through February 3, ensuring continued connectivity," the business posted on X, the former Twitter.

Elon Musk wrote, "In support of the people of Venezuela," quoting Starlink's article. Early Saturday morning, a U.S. chopper took Maduro and Flores out of the capital city of Caracas. At an unidentified place in the Caribbean Sea, they were brought on board the USS Iwo Jima. In a social media tweet, Trump included Maduro's first image following his detention. With the message, "Congratulations, President Trump!" Musk reposted the image. This is a global victory that sends a strong message to all despicable autocrats. "It is heartwarming to see so many Venezuelans celebrating their country freed from a brutal tyrant," the software billionaire added in another post.

US Taking Command of Venezuela

US President Donald Trump has declared that the US will "run" Venezuela until a "safe, proper and judicious transition" can be guaranteed following Maduro's arrest and expulsion. Trump responded that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in contact with Vice President Delcy Rodriguez in Venezuela when asked who would be included in that group.

Trump told reporters that Rodriguez had demonstrated his willingness to do "whatever" the US required and was willing to work with Washington. "I think she was quite gracious," Trump continued. "We can't take a chance that somebody else takes over Venezuela that doesn't have the good of the Venezuelan people in mind." In contrast, Maduro is the only leader of Venezuela, which has declared a state of emergency and condemned the "military aggression", according to the vice president.

Why Trump has taken Punitive Action Against Venezuela?

The influx of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants into the United States is attributed by Trump to Nicolás Maduro. Since 2013, an estimated eight million Venezuelans have departed the nation due to violence and economic hardship. Trump has accused Maduro of "emptying his prisons and insane asylums" and "forcing" their inmates to relocate to the United States, but he has not offered any supporting proof. Trump has also concentrated on combating the flow of drugs entering the United States, particularly cocaine and fentanyl.

He has classified the Cartel de los Soles and Tren de Aragua, two criminal organisations in Venezuela, as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs) and said that Maduro is the leader of the latter. Analysts have noted that the name "Cartel de los Soles" refers to dishonest officials who have permitted cocaine to pass through Venezuela rather than a hierarchical organisation.

In addition, Trump declared that he would classify the Maduro administration as an FTO and quadrupled the reward for information that led to Maduro's detention. Maduro has strongly denied being a cartel leader and charged that the United States is attempting to overthrow him and seize Venezuela's enormous oil reserves by using the "war on drugs" as a pretext.