Eight people are detained by Nicolás Maduro’s government for carrying out their journalistic duties.
The wave of repression related to the elections, which is intensifying in Venezuela, has already imprisoned a long list of media workers and journalists. Eight journalists are being held for their work in reporting. The charges against them include crimes such as «terrorism,» «incitement to hatred,» «association to commit a crime,» and «resistance to authority,» which carry sentences ranging from 12 to 20 years in prison. This is concerning, as it is evident that these crimes are being misused to target journalists in an attempt to silence them.
The arrests have shown numerous irregularities, such as detaining journalists without informing them of the charges against them or holding hearings that do not respect due process, condemning some of them to 45 days in prison. Additionally, their defense has been assigned to public defenders, as they have been denied representation by trusted private lawyers. It is also worth noting that the whereabouts of some journalists remain unknown.
The imprisoned journalists in the context of covering the elections and protests are: Luis López (reporter/La Guaira), Yuosnel Alvarado (photojournalist/Barinas), Paúl León (cameraman/Trujillo), Deysi Peña (photojournalist/Miranda), José Gregorio Camero (producer and presenter/Guárico), Eleángel Navas (photographer and community manager/Anzoátegui), Gilberto Reina (reporter/Bolívar), and Ana Carolina Guaita (reporter/La Guaira).
In defense of journalism and the Venezuelan public’s right to independent, plural, and reliable information—especially in a moment of deep institutional crisis like the one the country is experiencing—the undersigned organizations demand the immediate release of these journalists.
After the elections, Venezuela has experienced an escalation in restrictions and censorship imposed by Nicolás Maduro’s government. Dozens of newspapers and digital media outlets have faced website blockades, multiple foreign journalists have been expelled from the country, and the passports of several media workers have been canceled. Additionally, journalists across different regions of the country continue to face constant intimidation by security forces. The detention of these eight media workers, however, is an extreme measure that lacks any legal basis and must be immediately revoked.
Aggravating this situation is the fact that some of the detainees suffer from serious health conditions that could put their well-being at risk: Luis López has high blood pressure, Gilberto Reina has heart problems, and José Gregorio Camero suffers from acute coronary syndrome and an occlusive coronary lesion.
We call on multilateral organizations and the international community, particularly countries that maintain political and economic relations with Venezuela, to urgently demand the release of these journalists, to prevent irreparable harm from occurring.
Journalism is not a crime! Freedom now!
Journalist Profiles
Luis López is a journalist with 27 years of experience. He has worked for Radio Caracas and the newspaper La Verdad in La Guaira, a coastal city north of Caracas, the nation’s capital. He specializes in politics and defending community rights. He was arbitrarily detained on June 14 while heading to cover a story. He disappeared for over 24 hours. He is currently held at El Helicoide prison in Caracas, accused of «incitement to hatred» and «association to commit a crime.»
Yuosnel Alvarado, 23, is a photojournalist for Noticias Digital. Specializing in community and political coverage, he was detained by agents of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) while filming citizens organizing a «cacerolazo» protest against the results of the presidential elections. He has been charged with «terrorism» and «incitement to hatred» and was initially detained at the GNB’s Command 331 in Barinas before being transferred to Tocoron’s maximum security prison in the state of Aragua.
Paúl León, 26, is a cameraman for VPI TV since March 2024, with previous experience in sports media. He was detained on July 30 along with several protesters in Valera, Trujillo state. After being arrested by officers of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB), he was transferred to the PNB Criminal Investigation Division in Carvajal but the journalists himself confirmed in a call that he was moved to the maximum security prison of Tocuyito, in the state of Carabobo. He is accused of «terrorism» and «incitement to hatred.»
Deysi Peña is a photojournalist with 20 years of experience. She was detained on August 2 by a police patrol without a warrant for photographing the July 30 protest. She is being held at the women’s prison in Ocumare del Tuy, south of Caracas, where she will remain for 45 days while the investigation continues. She is charged with «terrorism,» «incitement to hatred,» «resisting authority,» «vandalism,» and «damage to public and private property.»
José Gregorio Camero is a producer and presenter of a radio news program on Talento 102.7 FM in Valle de la Pascua, Guárico state. He was detained on August 3 by agents of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM), reportedly wearing balaclavas, after a protest against the presidential election results. A special terrorism court initially sentenced him to 45 days in prison.
Eleángel Navas, 25, is a photographer and community manager for El Oriental newspaper. On August 3, police agents went to his home to arrest him for «terrorism» and «incitement to hatred.» As he wasn’t home, they detained his mother and his five-year-old niece. They forced his mother to call him and arrange a meeting in a public place, where the police then arrested him. He was held for 45 days. According to official information, on August 26, he was transferred to Yare prison in San Francisco de Yare, Miranda state. However, his family has been unable to contact him.
Gilberto Reina, 52, covered local and political news for the digital outlet La Sapa del Orinoco in Ciudad Bolívar, in the south-east of the country. He was detained at his home by counterintelligence services of the General Directorate of Counterintelligence Military (DGCIM). He is still detained in their detention cells. He is accused of «terrorism» and «incitement to hatred.»
Ana Carolina Guaita, 32, covered various topics for the online media outlet La Patilla, after having worked as a writer for Globovisión. On August 20, she was detained by presumed agents of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service without a warrant as she left her home in Maiquetía, north of Caracas. She is reportedly being held at the Directorate of Security of the Governor’s Office of La Guaira, in the north of the country, though her place of detention has not been officially confirmed. The journalist is the daughter of two opposition political leaders. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has granted her precautionary measures, as she is in an urgent situation where there is a risk of irreparable harm to her rights. The charges against her are still unknown.