International
Hate speech in X increased by 50% since Elon Musk bought it, according to a study
Hate speech on the social network X increased by approximately 50% and bot accounts did not decrease after tycoon Elon Musk bought the platform in 2022, according to a study by the University of California on Wednesday.
The research, which covered the period between January 1, 2022 and June 9, 2023, and was published in the magazine PLOS ONE, revealed that the increase in hate speech continued an upward trend until May 2023, when it reached its peak.
According to this study, the average number of posts containing hate speech in X went from 2,179 weekly posts before Musk’s purchase to 3,246 after. Or what is the same, they increased by 50%.
In addition, the study pointed out that in that same period the activity on the social network increased by 8%, ruling out that it was the responsibility of new users and stating that the content on the platform did migrate to this tone.
Even so, the researchers who participated in the work clarified that the increase in this type of content in X began before Musk’s arrival.
On October 27, 2022, Tesla’s CEO formalized the purchase of the then Twitter for about 44 billion dollars claiming that he did it “for the future of civilization.”
When he acquired it, he recognized that social networks ran the risk of increasing polarization and assured that “they could not become a free hell for everyone, where anything can be said without consequences,” but that they had to “respect the laws.”
However, this study shows that Musk would not have achieved the goal that was supposedly proposed at the beginning, since there was a greater use of homophobic, transphobic and racist insults since he runs the platform.
One of the moments that generated the most hate speech in X was the advertising campaign of the Bud Light beer brand in which the actress and trans activist Dylan Mulvaney participated.
In fact, a boycott campaign of the products of this beer brand was initiated by far-right groups where the social network played an important role.
Although attacks on trans people increased during this period, they did not overcome homophobes and racists, who although they also grew, were already older before the arrival of the tycoon.
After analyzing the publications, the study stated that 37% of hate messages are responses to other comments, 36% are new publications, 19% are republications and 7% are citations to other content.
On the other hand, it was detected that bot accounts – the automated accounts that simulate interaction in networks – did not decrease, but quite the opposite, the study perceived an amulet of those that promoted cryptocurrencies.
A business for which both Musk and the President of the United States, Donald Trump, for whom he works from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have bet on several occasions.
The professors pointed to the dissolution of the Trust and Security Advisory Council, which advised on content moderation, and the migration of some users to other social networks, precisely because of the drift that it was taking, as some of the possible causes that have brought X here.
“The prevalence of online hate is related to hate crimes outside. Victims of hatred often report diminished psychological well-being,” they warned.
International
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
The Colombian government stated on Thursday that it would have no reason to reject a potential asylum request from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should he leave office, as regional tensions persist over the deployment of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean since August.
“In the current climate of tension, negotiations are necessary, and if the United States demands a transition or political change, that is something to be assessed. If such a transition results in him (Maduro) needing to live elsewhere or seek protection, Colombia would have no reason to deny it,” said Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio in an interview with Caracol Radio.
However, Villavicencio noted that it is unlikely Maduro would choose Colombia as a refuge. “I believe he would opt for someplace more distant and calmer,” she added.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also commented on Venezuela’s situation on Wednesday, arguing that the country needs a “democratic revolution” rather than “inefficient repression.” His remarks followed the recent detention and passport cancellation of Cardinal Baltazar Porras at the Caracas airport.
“The Maduro government must understand that responding to external aggression requires more than military preparations; it requires a democratic revolution. A country is defended with more democracy, not more inefficient repression,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a rare public criticism of the Venezuelan leader.
Petro also called for a general amnesty for political opponents and reiterated his call for forming a broad transitional government to address Venezuela’s prolonged crisis.
Since September, U.S. military forces have destroyed more than 20 vessels allegedly carrying drugs in Caribbean and Pacific waters near Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in over 80 deaths.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that attacks “inside Venezuela” will begin “soon,” while Maduro has urged Venezuelans to prepare for what he describes as an impending external aggression.
International
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Cuba is facing a severe dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has already claimed at least 44 lives, including 29 minors, according to the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap). The outbreak—now considered out of control—has expanded across the entire country amid a critical shortage of resources to confront the emergency.
Authorities report more than 42,000 chikungunya infections and at least 26,000 dengue cases, though they acknowledge significant underreporting as many patients avoid seeking care in health centers where medicines, supplies, and medical personnel are scarce. The first cluster was detected in July in the city of Matanzas, but the government did not officially use the term “epidemic” until November 12.
Chikungunya—virtually unknown on the island until this year—causes high fever, rashes, fatigue, and severe joint pain that can last for months, leaving thousands temporarily incapacitated. Dengue, endemic to the region, triggers fever, muscle pain, vomiting, and, in severe cases, internal bleeding. Cuba currently has no vaccines available for either virus.
Minsap reports that of the 44 deaths recorded so far, 28 were caused by chikungunya and 16 by dengue.
The health crisis unfolds amid deep economic deterioration, marked by the absence of fumigation campaigns, uncollected garbage, and shortages of medical supplies—conditions that have fueled the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for both diseases. “The healthcare system is overwhelmed,” non-official medical sources acknowledge.
Beyond the health impact, the epidemic is heavily disrupting economic and family life. The intense joint pain caused by chikungunya has led to widespread work absences, while hospital overcrowding has forced relatives to leave their jobs to care for the sick. In November, authorities launched a clinical trial using the Cuban drug Jusvinza to reduce joint pain, though results have not yet been released.
International
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Violence in Ecuador is expected to reach historic levels by the end of 2025, with the country set to record the highest homicide rate in Latin America for the third consecutive year, according to a report released Thursday by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The organization warns that criminal activity is not only persisting but could worsen in 2026.
Official figures show 7,553 homicides recorded through October, surpassing the 7,063 registered throughout all of 2024. ACLED estimates that 71% of the population was exposed to violent incidents this year, despite President Daniel Noboa’s declaration of an “internal armed conflict” in an attempt to confront powerful criminal groups.
According to the report, several factors are driving the deterioration of security: a territorial war between Los Chonerosand Los Lobos, the two most influential criminal organizations in the country; the fragmentation of other groups after the fall of their leaders; and Ecuador’s expanding role as a strategic hub for regional drug trafficking.
Since 2021, violence has forced the internal displacement of around 132,000 people, while more than 400,000 Ecuadorians — equivalent to 2% of the population — have left the country. Between January and November alone, violent deaths rose 42%, fueled by prison massacres and clashes between rival gangs.
The report warns that conditions may deteriorate further. Ecuador has been added to ACLED’s 2026 Conflict Watchlist, which highlights regions at risk of escalating violence. The expansion of Colombian armed groups such as FARC dissidents and the ELN, state weakness, and a potential rerouting of drug trafficking corridors from the Caribbean to the Pacific intensify the threat.
“The president is facing a wave of violence that shows no signs of easing,” the report concludes.
Colombia says it would not reject Maduro asylum request as regional tensions escalate
Cuba battles out-of-control dengue and chikungunya epidemic as death toll rises to 44
Ecuador on track for record violence as homicides hit highest level in Latin America again
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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