The service activates high-speed broadband for users with a dish and power, bypassing government blackouts that have long limited information and dissent.
Elon Musk called it support for ordinary Venezuelans seeking prosperity amid the upheaval, following U.S. airstrikes on January 3 that flew Maduro to New York on drug charges.
Many praised the move as a vital lifeline for unfiltered news and coordination during clashes between Maduro loyalists and opposition groups, though some questioned hardware access and U.S. motives tied to oil reserves.
