Elon Musk Accepts Nicolás Maduro’s Televised Fight Challenge with Bold Wager

Elon Musk has accepted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s challenge for a televised fight. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO, who also owns the social network X, responded to Maduro’s challenge with a straightforward “I accept.” This isn’t Musk’s first time agreeing to a public bout; he previously challenged Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, but that match never materialized.

The tension between Musk and Maduro goes beyond tech rivalry, fueled by the ongoing turmoil in Caracas and controversy surrounding Maduro’s recent election victory. If the fight proceeds, it will pit Musk, the billionaire tech mogul, against Maduro, the socialist leader who rose from being a bus driver to the president of an economically troubled, oil-rich nation.

Maduro has accused Musk of orchestrating cyber-attacks on Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE), which controversially declared Maduro the election winner without providing detailed data. In response to Musk’s online provocations, Maduro didn’t hold back, accusing Musk of being the new archenemy controlling “virtual reality” and challenging him directly.

Musk, unfazed, responded on X, playfully comparing Zuckerberg to Maduro, suggesting that a fight with Maduro would be more challenging. Musk even proposed a bold wager: if he wins, Maduro must resign as dictator of Venezuela; if Maduro wins, Musk will give him a free ride to Mars.

Musk has been outspoken against Maduro, labeling him a “dictator” and criticizing the election as a “travesty.” He also shared a 2020 DEA announcement about criminal charges against Maduro, offering a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

In turn, Maduro accused Musk of plotting an invasion of Venezuela and using his wealth and technology to facilitate it. Musk responded with a sharp remark, comparing Maduro unfavorably to an ass and later offering a sarcastic apology for the comparison.