Venezuela Blocks AWS CloudFront, Many Sites Inaccessible

Venezuela has doubled down on internet censorship by blocking Amazon's CloudFront Content Delivery Network (CDN), which has led to widespread disruption across numerous websites and online platforms. The block, executed by the state-owned internet service provider (ISP) CANTV, has drawn attention due to its broad impact on digital services within the country.

The CloudFront CDN, a key player in the global content delivery market, is integral to many high-traffic sites, enabling faster loading times and improved server performance. The move to block CloudFront affects all subdomains under *.cloudfront.net, which has resulted in the blocking of various services, including Disney+, Max, and even the cryptocurrency exchange Binance.

VE sin Filtro, a Venezuelan censorship monitoring group, first reported the block, stating on X (formerly Twitter), "AWS @Cloudfront is being blocked in #Venezuela by CANTV (AS8048), the state-owned ISP, that's also the largest in the country."

The timing of this internet crackdown coincides with heightened political tensions in Venezuela following the disputed presidential election that was held on July 28. Although the government declared Nicolas Maduro the winner, opposition parties have challenged the results, leading to widespread protests and unrest. In response, the government has increased its control over digital platforms, aiming to curb the spread of what it perceives as violence and unrest.

This block also affects Binance, a platform that has become essential for many Venezuelans seeking to exchange their devalued bolivar for more stable cryptocurrencies. The reliance on Binance’s peer-to-peer service underscores the economic hardships faced by the population due to the ongoing economic crisis.

According to Yahoo Finance, Binance has stated that it is "monitoring the situation closely to address it in the best and fastest way possible" and that users’ funds were SAFU (Secure Asset Fund for Users).

This latest incident adds to a history of digital repression in Venezuela, which began with the first major censorship event in 2010 and has continued through various political crises, including the 2019 political crisis that saw internet shutdowns and the blocking of several popular platforms and social media services.