Caracas:
Facebook has frozen Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s web page for violating policies against spreading misinformation about COVID-19 by advertising a remedy he claims, without having proof, can remedy the illness, a business spokesman stated on Saturday.
Maduro in January described Carvativir, an oral resolution derived from thyme, as a “miracle” medication that neutralizes the coronavirus with no side effects, a claim medical doctors say is not backed by science.
Facebook has taken down a video in which Maduro promotes the medication for the reason that it violates a policy against false claims “that something can guarantee prevention from getting COVID-19 or can guarantee recovery from COVID-19.”
“We follow guidance from the WHO (World Health Organization) that says there is currently no medication to cure the virus,” the spokesman told Reuters. “Due to repeated violations of our rules, we are also freezing the page for 30 days, during which it will be read-only.”
Maduro in the video says Carvativir, which he calls “miracle drops” of 19th century Venezuelan medical doctor Jose Gregorio Hernandez who has been beatified by the Roman Catholic Church, can be utilized preventively and therapeutically against the coronavirus.
The administrators of the web page had been notified of the policy violation, the Facebook spokesman stated.
Maduro’s account on photo-sharing social media platform Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, will not be impacted.
Venezuela’s Information Ministry did not instantly reply to a request for comment.
Maduro in February stated Facebook “censored” videos in which he showed Carvativir. He has in the previous stated he and his allies have been treated unfairly by social media corporations, which includes what he calls arbitrary suspension of accounts.
Maduro regularly utilizes social media which includes each Facebook and Twitter, and has at occasions broadcast speeches more than Facebook Live.
Venezuela’s official figures as of Friday showed 154,905 circumstances of coronavirus and 1,543 deaths, although opposition critics say the actual figure is most likely larger due to restricted testing.
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