MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Maduro calls Elon Musk his new “archenemy”

“Whoever messes around with me dries out,” Maduro warned

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Monday that tycoon Elon Musk was his new “archenemy.” He insisted the South African entrepreneur had plans to invade Venezuela ”with his rockets and satellites.

“There is something called social networks, which create a virtual reality, and who controls virtual reality? Our new archenemy, the famous Elon Musk,” Maduro argued. “He would like to come with his rockets and an army to invade Venezuela,” he added from the National Electoral Council (CNE) headquarters in Caracas as he was proclaimed as the winner of Sunday's elections.

Maduro also explained that Musk had published on his social network X a video “of people taking some things, some boxes” claiming that those images proved he had stolen the elections. The Chavist leader said that such a posting was “embarrassing” on Musks's part.

El burro sabe mas que Maduro https://t.co/9fe6JWOatM

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2024

“Venezuela respects itself,” he also stressed while challenging Musk to a fistfight. ”Do you want a fight? Let's fight it, Elon Musk. I'm ready (...), I'm not afraid of you. Let's fight it, then, wherever you want (...) Say where, but Venezuela is respected.“

Musk had called Maduro a ”dictator” after Sunday's “major election fraud” while quoting Argentine President Javier Milei announcing a landslide victory of the opposition.

“Elon Musk is desperate, control yourself,” he warned. “Whoever messes around with me dries out,” Maduro also warned.