In recent developments, Venezuelan users of Binance, the globe’s foremost cryptocurrency exchange, have encountered significant obstacles in accessing the platform. The company acknowledged these challenges in a post on X (formerly Twitter), attributing the disruptions to widespread access restrictions affecting various websites across the nation.

“Similar to numerous company websites across various sectors in Venezuela, including social media, Binance’s pages have been subjected to access restrictions,” the exchange reported on Friday. Binance assured its users that it is vigilantly monitoring the situation, striving to resolve the issue swiftly and effectively, while affirming that users’ funds remain “SAFU” (Secure Asset Fund for Users).

The blockage has been linked to the actions of CANTV, the state-controlled telecommunications and internet service provider. VE sin Filtro, a human rights organization, highlighted that CANTV has been obstructing Amazon CloudFront services, leading to widespread online disruptions.

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These access issues surfaced shortly after President Nicolás Maduro declared a 10-day blockade on X, aiming to quash what he described as attempts by external networks to incite violence, hatred, and destabilization in Venezuela.

The turmoil in Venezuela intensified following the National Electoral Council’s announcement proclaiming Maduro as the victor of the July 28 presidential election. According to the council, with 80% of the ballots tallied, Maduro secured 51.2% of the votes, outpacing opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who garnered 44.2%. However, official counts were not presented, prompting the opposition to denounce the results as fraudulent, asserting that their data showed González Urrutia winning with 67% of the votes, compared to Maduro’s 30%, with 83% of the votes counted.

This information blackout, further exacerbated by the suspension of X, occurs amidst numerous reports of detentions, injuries, and fatalities, alongside allegations of violence inflicted by security forces, as noted in a United Nations statement.

In this climate of escalating unrest, the ongoing internet restrictions underscore the broader struggles faced by Venezuelans as they navigate a fraught political landscape and the tightening grip of state control over digital communication.