The move comes at a time when Venezuela is witnessing rapid and unprecedented political developments.
Washington [US], January 4, 2026, BNN Web Staff: SpaceX founder Elon Musk has extended support to the people of Venezuela as Starlink announced it will offer free high-speed internet services across the country until February 3.
The move comes at a time when Venezuela is witnessing rapid and unprecedented political developments.
Sharing the update on social media platform X, Musk wrote that the initiative was undertaken “in support of the people of Venezuela,” while amplifying Starlink’s official announcement.
The company stated that the temporary free broadband access aims to ensure uninterrupted connectivity for citizens during the ongoing uncertainty.
The announcement coincided with dramatic political developments following the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro by the United States. Footage released by US authorities showed Maduro in custody, handcuffed during a staged walk, where he was seen greeting reporters and officials as he was escorted away.
In response to the sudden leadership vacuum, Venezuela’s Supreme Court directed Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to take over as acting president. According to the court order, Maduro was deemed to be in a “material and temporary inability” to carry out presidential duties.
The ruling, read by Justice Tania D’Amelio on state broadcaster VTV, stated that Rodriguez would assume full presidential powers to ensure administrative continuity and safeguard national interests, as reported by CNN.
The court cited constitutional provisions that mandate the vice president to assume leadership in cases of temporary or permanent absence of the president.
Meanwhile, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton provided additional context to the unfolding situation.
Speaking to CNN, Bolton said that discussions around removing Maduro had taken place during Donald Trump’s first term as US president, but the plan failed to progress due to a lack of sustained focus within the administration.
Bolton added that Trump had shown particular interest in Venezuela’s oil resources and that opposition groups had once believed economic pressure alone could fracture Maduro’s regime.
According to CNN, the United States later carried out what Trump described as a large-scale operation against Venezuela, resulting in Maduro’s capture and marking a major escalation in US involvement in the country’s political crisis.
