FACEBOOK SUSPENDS VENEZUELAN LEADER’S ACCOUNT

Sun 28 March 2021:

Facebook on Saturday announced that it suspended the account of the leader of Venezuela for 30 days.

Nicolas Maduro violated the social media platform’s policies by promoting misinformation about a medicine called Carvatinir, which he claimed cures the coronavirus, the company said.

Facebook has taken down a video in which Maduro promotes the medication because it violates a policy against false claims “that something can guarantee prevention from getting COVID-19 or can guarantee recovery from COVID-19.”

“We follow guidance from the WHO (World Health Organization) that says there is currently no medication to cure the virus,” the spokesman told Reuters. “Due to repeated violations of our rules, we are also freezing the page for 30 days, during which it will be read-only.”

Maduro in the video says Carvativir, which he calls “miracle drops” of 19th century Venezuelan doctor Jose Gregorio Hernandez who has been beatified by the Roman Catholic Church, can be used preventively and therapeutically against the coronavirus.

The administrators of the page were notified of the policy violation, the Facebook spokesman said.

Maduro’s account on photo-sharing social media platform Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, will not be affected.

Maduro frequently uses social media including both Facebook and Twitter, and has at times broadcast speeches over Facebook Live.