Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s YouTube channel has been removed from the platform, amidst escalating tensions between the US and Venezuela. The channel, which had over 233,000 subscribers, featured Maduro’s speeches and weekly TV show, and is now inaccessible even via direct link. A message on the page reads “This page is unavailable.”

The removal of Maduro’s channel comes as relations between the US and Venezuela continue to deteriorate. The US recently deployed warships and fighter jets to the Southern Caribbean, citing a mission to target drug cartels. Venezuelan officials have denounced the deployment as an assault on sovereignty and a plot to topple Maduro.

The US sent at least eight Navy vessels, an attack submarine, and approximately 4,000 troops to the region, claiming that the armada sank three Venezuelan boats. However, Washington has not provided proof that those on board were criminals. Maduro has insisted that Venezuela has dismantled trafficking networks and major drug gangs, and has offered to hold direct talks with the US on the issue.

The tensions between the two countries have been ongoing, with the US refusing to recognize Maduro’s reelection. The situation has been further complicated by a 2020 New York indictment accusing Maduro of conspiring to traffic cocaine, charges he has denied. The US has doubled the reward for Maduro’s arrest to $50 million.

US President Donald Trump has stated that he is not seeking regime change in Venezuela, but has not ruled out strikes on cartels. When asked about Maduro’s letter offering to hold talks, Trump declined to confirm receiving it, saying “We’ll see what happens with Venezuela.”

The removal of Maduro’s YouTube channel has not been commented on by Google, the platform’s parent company. YouTube’s policies state that accounts can be removed for repeated violations, including misinformation, hate speech, or interfering with democratic processes. The Venezuelan government has yet to comment on the takedown.