Venezuelan security forces detained at least 14 journalists on Monday amid heightened political turmoil following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by US forces. The detentions occurred as Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of interim president, marking a significant escalation in the government’s suppression of information.
According to Venezuela’s media workers union, the majority of those detained were foreign correspondents, with all but one released later that day. One reporter faced deportation. The journalists were apprehended at multiple locations including the National Assembly building and the Altamira district in Caracas, where Rodríguez was being sworn into office.
The detained media professionals underwent extensive equipment searches, with authorities examining their phones, social media posts, and private messages. In a separate incident, Colombian and Spanish reporters were held incommunicado for hours at the Venezuela-Colombia border near Cúcuta before being released back into Colombia.
This press crackdown coincides with Rodríguez’s declaration of willingness to cooperate with the Trump administration, which has previously stated its intention to ‘run’ Venezuela following Maduro’s capture in a military operation that resulted in numerous casualties among his security detail.
The repression extends beyond journalists to the general population. Residents report armed, masked groups patrolling neighborhoods, checking citizens’ WhatsApp statuses and messages for critical content. A heavy presence of police, military, and pro-government armed groups known as ‘colectivos’ has created an atmosphere of fear throughout Caracas.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello publicly showcased security forces’ visibility in communities, posting images of himself with armed police on social media. Meanwhile, anonymous sources describe military personnel on every corner and armed civilian groups instilling fear among the population.
This incident continues a pattern of media suppression in Venezuela, where foreign news organizations face significant visa restrictions. The current situation echoes the post-2024 election crackdown when security forces similarly monitored digital communications, leading many Venezuelans to delete their social media accounts and message histories.
According to human rights organization Foro Penal, Venezuela currently holds over 800 political prisoners as of January 5, with many previously sentenced to lengthy prison terms for ‘treason’ following the disputed 2024 presidential election.