In the predawn hours of January 3, 2024, an individual residing on the outskirts of Caracas experienced the unsettling sound of explosions. The man, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, recounted, “I had never heard a bomb go off, never in my life. There is no way that you could mistake a bomb for a firework… it’s horrible.” The explosions targeted a cluster of antenna installations located approximately one mile from his home, causing a fire at the site. The following day, he discovered that his cellular provider, Movistar, was completely offline.
Despite the disruption to his primary communication channel, the man remained unfazed due to multiple backup systems at his disposal. These included an eSIM from an alternate mobile provider, fiber-optic internet which remained operational post-explosion, and notably, two Starlink satellite receivers. One receiver was registered in Colombia and the other in Argentina, both connecting to Elon Musk’s SpaceX-operated satellite network. “You’re always over-prepared here,” he remarked, underscoring the necessity of multiple redundancies in Venezuela’s uncertain environment.
Starlink’s capacity to maintain internet connectivity in regions experiencing conflict has elevated Elon Musk’s company into a significant geopolitical actor. The same night the explosions occurred, reports emerged of the U.S. apprehending Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Concurrently, the man received an email from Starlink offering a month of complimentary service credit "in support of the people of Venezuela," as Musk stated on the social media platform X. The company announced it would provide free broadband access through February 3, 2024.
The internet connection became vital for him to comprehend unfolding events. “I thought it was a domestic coup. I didn't think it was the U.S.,” the man, a practicing lawyer, reflected. It was only after communication with his daughter abroad, who advised him to check updates on X, that he grasped the full scope of the situation.
Though Starlink does not officially deliver services within Venezuela, and its service map excludes the country with no public timeline for launch, Venezuelans commonly access the satellite internet to obtain reliable connections, particularly in remote areas. Additionally, the platform allows users to bypass the censorship imposed by state-controlled internet providers. This is achieved through receivers imported from neighboring nations such as Colombia and Argentina.
“People can get access to kits. While it’s contraband, it is accessible,” explained Alp Toker, founder of the internet monitoring organization NetBlocks. Following January 3, Starlink receivers appeared for sale in a Telegram group dedicated to Venezuelan discussions. Prices ranged from $60 for older models to over $600 for the newest equipment. Despite requests, Starlink has not provided an official comment regarding these distribution channels.
Since official Starlink service is absent, users register their devices with addresses from surrounding countries. The Caracas-based lawyer acknowledged, “[Starlink] knows we are outside of the country we are [registered in]” but added that the company has chosen not to enforce restrictions aggressively. “That is indeed something to be grateful for,” he noted.
Many Venezuelan users expressed gratitude when Starlink announced the complimentary broadband service. One individual in the Telegram community, which boasts over 1,000 members, declared, “We’re starting the year off right with Uncle Elon,” attaching the Starlink email confirming the free access. This reflects a prevailing sentiment among users who depend on the satellite internet to maintain communication continuity during political instability.
The deployment of Starlink in conflict zones is not unprecedented. As Lauryn Williams, deputy director of the CSIS Strategic Technologies Program, observed, “There’s certainly a business case for SpaceX and Starlink here.” The technology was introduced in Ukraine in 2022 shortly after Russia’s invasion. Initially, SpaceX absorbed the costs and maintained communication with U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Defense and USAID prior to Elon Musk’s public Twitter announcement.
Subsequently, SpaceX presented the U.S. government with an ultimatum: accept responsibility for financing the service, estimated at $400 million annually, or risk disconnection. Following negotiations, the Department of Defense secured a contract with SpaceX in June 2023 to fund and continue the service provision.
Back in Caracas, despite fiber-optic internet functionality, the availability of Starlink serves as an emotional reassurance for connectivity. The lawyer likened it to "an emotional support dog," emphasizing the psychological impact of having reliable access in an environment where internet disruptions are common. “Psychologically, it makes a big difference,” he remarked.
Key Points
- Explosions on January 3, 2024, targeted antenna infrastructure near Caracas, interrupting cellular service.
- Residents maintain internet connectivity through multiple backups, including Starlink receivers registered in neighboring countries.
- Starlink does not officially offer services in Venezuela, which remains absent from its public service map.
- Users circumvent restrictions by registering receivers with Colombian or Argentine addresses and importing equipment clandestinely.
- Starlink offered free broadband access to Venezuelans through February 3, 2024, in response to the political crisis.
- The service’s role in Venezuela parallels its prior involvement in Ukraine’s conflict, where SpaceX initially subsidized costs before governmental support.
- Users rely on Starlink not only for connectivity but also to evade government censorship of internet services.
- The presence of Starlink as a backup provides psychological comfort amid uncertain communication conditions.
Risks and Uncertainties
- Starlink’s official absence in Venezuela raises uncertainties about service reliability and long-term availability.
- Dependence on importation of receivers from neighboring countries involves risks related to supply, legality, and cost.
- The lack of formal authorization may lead to potential enforcement actions impacting user access.
- The evolving political situation in Venezuela could result in further infrastructure attacks disrupting other communication channels.
- Funding models seen in other conflict zones may or may not apply to Venezuela, affecting the sustainability of free or subsidized access.
- Starlink’s deliberate tolerance of cross-border registrations remains unofficial and potentially subject to change.
- Potential censorship or interference with satellite signals by Venezuelan authorities cannot be ruled out.
- The psychological dependency on backup connectivity, while beneficial, may mask underlying vulnerabilities in the communication network.