Venezuela authorizes Starlink internet service

Venezuela has authorized Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service to operate nationwide, with telecom regulator Conatel granting seven licences to SpaceX's local subsidiary on Friday.

The decision formally lifts a ban imposed under ousted president Nicolas Maduro, a critic of Musk. APNIC data indicated that an estimated 3.6 percent of internet users in Venezuela had already been accessing the web through Starlink before the authorization.

Authorities in Venezuela arrested people selling Starlink antennas after Maduro's contested reelection in 2024. Musk announced after Maduro's capture in a US military operation in January 2026 that Starlink would be free for Venezuelan users for a month.

Starlink also resumed free service after the June 24 twin earthquakes in northern Venezuela to support recovery efforts in La Guaira, the hardest-hit area.

Andres Azpurua, director of the digital freedom NGO VE Sin Filtro, said US sanctions before Maduro's capture had also prevented Starlink from operating in Venezuela. He said Starlink executives began moving more openly after Maduro's fall, but still faced a local regulatory barrier until the new authorization.