05:25Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stated that he was ready to fight with Elon Musk after the US billionaire said he accepted the leader's challenge, during a press briefing in Caracas on Wednesday.
"Did Elon Musk accept my challenge? What did Elon Musk say? That he accepts the challenge I made to him? Elon Musk, let's give it to each other. But come over here. In the Poliedro (stadium in Caracas), you and me. If I beat you, Elon Musk, I'll take you on a trip to Mars," Maduro said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Musk had posted on his X social media platform: "I accept... If I win, he resigns as dictator of Venezuela... if he wins, I give him a free ride to Mars.”
Maduro first proposed the bout after the tech billionaire posted that Sunday's presidential vote was a 'major election fraud', without supplying any evidence.
During his address, Maduro also condemned the role of the 'international media' which he claimed was seeking to 'justify a military intervention' in this country.
"The main campaign against Venezuela is in the international media. They want to justify a military intervention again in Venezuela. They want to justify sanctions again against Venezuela. They want to justify violence," Maduro claimed.
Maduro alleged that his opponents were intent on instigating a 'colour revolution' and suggested that the United States was complicit, following protests. He urged opposition leaders Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and Maria Corina Machado to go to the prosecutor's office 'and show their faces' following their repeated refusal to accept the results of the election.
Earlier, the National Electoral Council reported that Maduro had won, receiving 51 percent of the votes, compared to Gonzalez's 44 percent.
Maduro stressed that any challenges to the result should be addressed through Venezuela’s democratic institutions, urging reporters to allow the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice to handle matters without the influence of what he termed 'lies, the call to violence, and hatred.'
He also criticised the international media more widely for their role in global conflicts: "You are responsible for the war in Afghanistan. And for Iraq, and for Libya, and for the death, the international media and networks."
"Why do they want to get Venezuela into a war?" he asked. "Why is this [a] campaign against Venezuela?"
"We are defending a cause. We have a flag. We love our country," he added. "Venezuela will not fall into the hands of fascism or criminals. Nor of imperialism. Nor of anyone. We want everything to remain constitutional and in peace."
Following the results, Russia, China, and others congratulated Maduro, while the US said it had 'serious concerns' about the vote. The opposition claimed it won with more than 70 percent of the votes cast, although did not provide any evidence.
Maduro has been in power since 2013, while his United Socialist Party of Venezuela has governed the country since 2007. Around 17 million people were eligible to vote.
'Elon Musk, let's give it to each other!' - Maduro doubles down on fight after tech billionaire 'accepts' bout with president
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stated that he was ready to fight with Elon Musk after the US billionaire said he accepted the leader's challenge, during a press briefing in Caracas on Wednesday.
"Did Elon Musk accept my challenge? What did Elon Musk say? That he accepts the challenge I made to him? Elon Musk, let's give it to each other. But come over here. In the Poliedro (stadium in Caracas), you and me. If I beat you, Elon Musk, I'll take you on a trip to Mars," Maduro said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Musk had posted on his X social media platform: "I accept... If I win, he resigns as dictator of Venezuela... if he wins, I give him a free ride to Mars.”
Maduro first proposed the bout after the tech billionaire posted that Sunday's presidential vote was a 'major election fraud', without supplying any evidence.
During his address, Maduro also condemned the role of the 'international media' which he claimed was seeking to 'justify a military intervention' in this country.
"The main campaign against Venezuela is in the international media. They want to justify a military intervention again in Venezuela. They want to justify sanctions again against Venezuela. They want to justify violence," Maduro claimed.
Maduro alleged that his opponents were intent on instigating a 'colour revolution' and suggested that the United States was complicit, following protests. He urged opposition leaders Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and Maria Corina Machado to go to the prosecutor's office 'and show their faces' following their repeated refusal to accept the results of the election.
Earlier, the National Electoral Council reported that Maduro had won, receiving 51 percent of the votes, compared to Gonzalez's 44 percent.
Maduro stressed that any challenges to the result should be addressed through Venezuela’s democratic institutions, urging reporters to allow the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice to handle matters without the influence of what he termed 'lies, the call to violence, and hatred.'
He also criticised the international media more widely for their role in global conflicts: "You are responsible for the war in Afghanistan. And for Iraq, and for Libya, and for the death, the international media and networks."
"Why do they want to get Venezuela into a war?" he asked. "Why is this [a] campaign against Venezuela?"
"We are defending a cause. We have a flag. We love our country," he added. "Venezuela will not fall into the hands of fascism or criminals. Nor of imperialism. Nor of anyone. We want everything to remain constitutional and in peace."
Following the results, Russia, China, and others congratulated Maduro, while the US said it had 'serious concerns' about the vote. The opposition claimed it won with more than 70 percent of the votes cast, although did not provide any evidence.
Maduro has been in power since 2013, while his United Socialist Party of Venezuela has governed the country since 2007. Around 17 million people were eligible to vote.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stated that he was ready to fight with Elon Musk after the US billionaire said he accepted the leader's challenge, during a press briefing in Caracas on Wednesday.
"Did Elon Musk accept my challenge? What did Elon Musk say? That he accepts the challenge I made to him? Elon Musk, let's give it to each other. But come over here. In the Poliedro (stadium in Caracas), you and me. If I beat you, Elon Musk, I'll take you on a trip to Mars," Maduro said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Musk had posted on his X social media platform: "I accept... If I win, he resigns as dictator of Venezuela... if he wins, I give him a free ride to Mars.”
Maduro first proposed the bout after the tech billionaire posted that Sunday's presidential vote was a 'major election fraud', without supplying any evidence.
During his address, Maduro also condemned the role of the 'international media' which he claimed was seeking to 'justify a military intervention' in this country.
"The main campaign against Venezuela is in the international media. They want to justify a military intervention again in Venezuela. They want to justify sanctions again against Venezuela. They want to justify violence," Maduro claimed.
Maduro alleged that his opponents were intent on instigating a 'colour revolution' and suggested that the United States was complicit, following protests. He urged opposition leaders Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and Maria Corina Machado to go to the prosecutor's office 'and show their faces' following their repeated refusal to accept the results of the election.
Earlier, the National Electoral Council reported that Maduro had won, receiving 51 percent of the votes, compared to Gonzalez's 44 percent.
Maduro stressed that any challenges to the result should be addressed through Venezuela’s democratic institutions, urging reporters to allow the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice to handle matters without the influence of what he termed 'lies, the call to violence, and hatred.'
He also criticised the international media more widely for their role in global conflicts: "You are responsible for the war in Afghanistan. And for Iraq, and for Libya, and for the death, the international media and networks."
"Why do they want to get Venezuela into a war?" he asked. "Why is this [a] campaign against Venezuela?"
"We are defending a cause. We have a flag. We love our country," he added. "Venezuela will not fall into the hands of fascism or criminals. Nor of imperialism. Nor of anyone. We want everything to remain constitutional and in peace."
Following the results, Russia, China, and others congratulated Maduro, while the US said it had 'serious concerns' about the vote. The opposition claimed it won with more than 70 percent of the votes cast, although did not provide any evidence.
Maduro has been in power since 2013, while his United Socialist Party of Venezuela has governed the country since 2007. Around 17 million people were eligible to vote.