"If I win, he resigns. if he wins...": Elon Musk to fight with Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro on national television

Written By Pravrajya Suruchi | Updated: Aug 02, 2024, 06:24 PM IST

Elon Musk accepts Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro's challenge

Elon Musk accepted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's challenge for a televised fight amid escalating political tensions.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and founder of SpaceX, accepted a challenge from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for a televised fight. This unusual challenge was highlighted when Musk responded on social media platform X, saying, "I accept," after a user posted a screengrab from a news article reporting Maduro's challenge to Musk for a nationally televised fight.

In his response, Musk added a unique twist to the challenge, stating, “If I win, he resigns as dictator of Venezuela. If he wins, I give him a free ride to Mars.” This remark underscores Musk’s bold and unconventional style, blending his tech aspirations with current political events.

The challenge comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Musk and Maduro amidst political unrest in Venezuela. Recently, Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) announced that Nicolas Maduro had secured 51% of the vote in the election held on July 28, with the opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia obtaining 44%. The announcement led to violent protests, with many contesting the poll turnout and accusing Maduro of electoral fraud.

The ideological clash between Musk and Maduro has been ongoing, fueled by their starkly different backgrounds and beliefs. Maduro, a socialist leader who rose from being a bus driver to leading an oil-rich but economically struggling nation, has accused Musk of orchestrating cyber-attacks against Venezuela. Specifically, Maduro alleged that Musk was involved in hacking activities targeting the National Electoral Council.

Elon Musk has been vocal about his disdain for Maduro's leadership. Following Maduro's re-election, Musk took to X to denounce the election results, calling them a “travesty” and labeling Maduro a “dictator.” He also referenced a 2020 announcement from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regarding criminal charges against Maduro for drug trafficking.

Maduro did not take these accusations lightly. In a retaliatory speech, he accused Musk of manipulating social media to create a "virtual reality" that undermines his government. Addressing Musk directly, Maduro said, “Do you want to fight? Let's do it. Elon Musk, I'm ready. I'm not afraid of you, Elon Musk. Let's fight wherever you want.”

This public exchange highlights the intensity of the ideological and personal clash between the two figures. As of now, it remains to be seen whether this challenge will materialize into an actual event or if it will remain a symbolic representation of their ongoing conflict.

 

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