Years of Censorship and Repression Against Journalism in Venezuela Worsen Crisis Response
A Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report highlights severe restrictions on journalism as millions of people seek reliable information.
The two earthquakes that devastated parts of Caracas and the Venezuelan coastal cities of La Guaira and Catia La Mar on June 24 not only exposed how the regime prioritized strengthening a military apparatus designed to protect itself and suppress the opposition—while lacking the capacity to respond to catastrophic emergencies—but also laid bare years of censorship and repression against journalism, which have profoundly weakened the country's information ecosystem.
The latest report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on the state of journalism in the Caribbean nation, where the population is facing a devastating tragedy without reliable access to information precisely when it is most needed to save lives, paints a troubling picture. It also reflects the continuation of a long-standing state policy aimed at dismantling independent media and persecuting journalists.
As millions of Venezuelans seek reliable information about seismic risk areas following the two earthquakes, which have already claimed more than 3,800 lives, significant restrictions on journalistic work remain in place. According to Venezuela Sin Filtro, an organization specializing in digital censorship cited by RSF, at least 65 national and international news websites continue to be blocked throughout the country.
The Public Needs Reliable Information
The limited presence of journalists in La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit by the disaster, together with restrictions imposed around public hospitals, "raises concerns about the lack of transparency in the handling of sensitive information regarding victims, damage, and emergency response," Edgar Cárdenas, Secretary General of the National College of Journalists (CNP) in Caracas, told RSF.
"Natural disasters test a country's ability to keep its population informed. In Venezuela, this tragedy also reveals the cost of years of attacks against press freedom and the right to information," warned Artur Romeu, RSF's Director for Latin America, as quoted in the report. "When an information ecosystem has been systematically weakened, the consequences become especially evident at moments like this, when the public needs reliable information to protect their lives and gain access to assistance."
According to Romeu, connectivity, the presence of journalists on the ground, and access to verifiable public information must be integral components of any humanitarian response. For this reason, RSF calls on the Venezuelan regime to immediately and permanently lift all blocks on media outlets and news platforms, guarantee unrestricted journalistic coverage, and ensure that the entire population has access to essential information without censorship or restrictions.
Among the most recent examples of media closures, several radio stations were shut down in early 2026. Urbana 94.3 FM, based in Guatire and on the air for 16 years, was closed in February following an operation carried out by the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) and the National Guard, which also confiscated its equipment. Other stations, including Unika 92.1, Impacto 105.3 FM, and Rítmica 104.1, suffered the same fate.
These actions demonstrate the continuation of administrative controls over the media that further reduce the capacity of Venezuela's media landscape to inform the public, even during emergencies.
Risks to Journalists' Safety and Possible Reprisals
Coverage of the disaster has also been hampered by years of digital censorship, compounded by the damage the earthquakes inflicted on telecommunications infrastructure. Since the June 24 earthquakes, journalists interviewed by RSF have reported extensive areas without stable connectivity and the need to rely on third-party networks or satellite equipment to transmit information.
Héctor Estepa, an independent journalist who collaborates with several Spanish media outlets, described the working conditions as "catastrophic," noting that in some areas "if you want Internet access, the only solution is Starlink." In an emergency, when internet access, electricity, and telecommunications fail, not only is journalistic work severely hindered, but the public's right to receive reliable and timely information is also compromised.
Journalists and media organizations that continue to operate in Venezuela also face significant security risks and the possibility of reprisals. Many journalists are themselves victims of the disaster, covering events while coping with the loss of family members, damage to their homes, power outages, connectivity problems, and considerable psychological strain.
Years of repression have reduced media pluralism and weakened the newsrooms that remain active, including El Pitazo, Efecto Cocuyo, Runrun.es, Armando.info, and TalCual. These organizations operate with fewer resources and diminished capacity to respond to a disaster of this magnitude. As a result, journalists often depend on their own limited resources or on solidarity networks in order to remain in the field.
RSF reports that many journalists have been forced to flee the country because of repression and the steady deterioration of conditions for practicing journalism under Nicolás Maduro's government. That repression has also resulted in the detention of journalists. Earlier this year, six journalists were released, including Rory Branker of La Patilla, who remains subject to judicial restrictions.
For the international press, covering Venezuela was already a major challenge before the earthquakes. Last January, approximately 200 foreign journalists remained stranded in Cúcuta while awaiting authorization to enter Venezuelan territory. Others were expelled or detained at the border, as documented by RSF.
Although several international news teams were eventually able to enter the country following the first earthquake, considerable uncertainty persisted regarding visas, press credentials, travel permits, and access to the affected areas. According to information gathered by RSF, coverage of the disaster continues to be conditioned by administrative requirements and official authorizations whose procedures are not always clearly defined for journalists working on the ground.
Source: Pulzo.com
Author: Fredy Moreno
Picture: Dylan Agbagni