Maduro Intensifies WhatsApp Boycott, Citing Espionage and Announcing Venezuelan Alternative

Caracas, Venezuela – Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday reiterated his call for a boycott of the popular messaging application WhatsApp, accusing it of being a system used for "espionage." The president announced that his government is actively developing an alternative messaging platform to ensure secure communication for the nation. During his address, Maduro stated, "WhatsApp is a system of espionage. They know everything about your life." He emphasized the importance of having a communication system that is not used for spying or for activities that could lead to harm. This is not the first time President Maduro has taken a strong stance against WhatsApp. He previously uninstalled the application from his personal device in August 2024, following a period of significant protests across Venezuela that resulted in 28 deaths, over 200 injuries, and at least 2,400 detentions. At that time, he urged his supporters to switch to Telegram and the Chinese application WeChat. Now, Maduro is pushing for a broader national effort to build and adopt indigenous alternative communication systems. He highlighted that even Telegram, which he currently uses, is considered a "transitory" solution. "We are working to have a secure communication system that is not used for spying and even less for killing," he asserted. Maduro frequently denounces alleged conspiracies to overthrow his government and has previously accused WhatsApp of being part of a "psychological war" aimed at destabilizing his administration. The move underscores Venezuela's ongoing efforts to assert digital sovereignty and control over information flows within its borders.