Elon Musk’s satellite internet service Starlink has begun offering free broadband access to users in Venezuela through Feb. 3, following U.S. airstrikes and a ground operation that led to the capture of ousted president Nicolás Maduro, as connectivity disruptions were reported across parts of the country.
Starlink said on Sunday that it was proactively adding service credits to both active and inactive accounts in Venezuela while monitoring evolving conditions and regulatory requirements. The company said it does not yet have a timeline for local purchase availability and that any updates would be communicated through official Starlink channels.
Starlink operates as a subsidiary of SpaceX and provides broadband internet through low-Earth-orbit satellites. Users typically must purchase separate hardware to access the service.
Service Status And Connectivity Disruptions
Despite Starlink indicating that some accounts were already active, the company’s availability map lists Venezuela as “coming soon,” suggesting the service has not formally launched in the country. It remains unclear how services or pricing may change after the free access period ends on Feb. 3.
The temporary provision of free internet coincided with reports of power and connectivity outages following U.S. military operations. According to a Venezuelan government statement, airstrikes on Jan. 3 largely targeted areas in the capital Caracas, with additional strikes reported in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira.
Local media outlets reported that parts of Caracas lost electricity and internet access after the strikes, with further outages reported in Miranda over the weekend.
U.S. Political Developments And International Response
U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would oversee Venezuela’s transition, though details remain unclear amid concerns about a potential power vacuum. Trump also announced that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez had been sworn in following Maduro’s arrest, while warning of a possible second strike if the new leadership failed to comply with U.S. demands.
The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meet on Jan. 6 to discuss the legality of U.S. actions. Several countries, including U.S. allies Brazil and Spain, have condemned the military intervention.
Starlink’s Role In Conflict Zones
Venezuela is not the first conflict-affected region where Starlink has been deployed. The service was rolled out in Ukraine in 2022 after Russia’s invasion damaged the country’s internet and communications infrastructure. It quickly became an important tool for civilian and military connectivity.
While Starlink’s role in Ukraine was praised by Ukrainian and international officials, it also raised concerns about the influence of a single private company over access to critical communications during wartime.
Those concerns intensified in September 2023 after a biography of Musk revealed that he had denied a Ukrainian request to activate Starlink coverage over Russian-annexed Crimea, which disrupted a planned drone submarine attack. The disclosure led the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee to examine what it described as serious national liability issues linked to private control over wartime communications.
In June 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense placed Starlink’s Ukraine operations under formal oversight through a contract with SpaceX, making the company an official military contractor. The Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment on any potential involvement or oversight of Starlink’s activities in Venezuela.
Censorship, Alternatives, And Global Competition
Beyond conflict zones, Starlink has been used to bypass government-imposed internet restrictions in several countries. In Iran, thousands of users have reportedly accessed unfiltered internet through Starlink, despite the service lacking official approval.
Venezuela has a history of internet censorship and shutdowns, particularly during periods of political unrest under the governments of Hugo Chávez and Maduro.
Marko Papic, global geo-macro strategist at BCA Research, told CNBC that Starlink enables internet access through non-state providers in authoritarian systems. He said such use cases are likely to expand, particularly in countries where the U.S. has adversarial relationships with existing regimes.
Amid growing concern over Starlink’s reach and U.S. dominance in satellite broadband, other governments are backing domestic alternatives. In China, Shanghai-based Qianfan, also known as SpaceSail, has launched at least 108 low-Earth-orbit satellites, according to state-backed media.
China’s state-owned space program also announced last month the successful launch of its 17th batch of low-Earth-orbit internet satellites under the Guowang constellation project.
Featured image credits: ccnull.de
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