Repression in Venezuela Continues. Our Work in the Country Is Still Needed and Ongoing
Published: Jan 7, 2026 Reading time: 2 minutes Share: Share an articleWe continue to closely monitor the human rights situation in Venezuela following the arrest of president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores by the United States. The assistance we have been providing for more than 10 years is as needed as ever.
At least 14 journalists—mostly foreign reporters—were detained by Venezuelan authorities during the inauguration of the new Venezuelan president, Delcy Rodríguez, according to the international Committee to Protect Journalists.
One of them was deported from the country, while most of the others have since been released.
Furthermore, our partners on the ground are reporting additional arrests and intimidation in connection with Nicolás Maduro's arrest. They are often carried out by paramilitary groups supported by the government.
Thus, under the new head of state, Venezuela continues its established practice of intimidation and obstruction of independent coverage of the situation in the country. The regime gives no indication that its long-standing human rights violations are coming to an end.
Venezuelan authorities detain, imprison, or intimidate opposition politicians, activists, independent journalists, trade unionists, and representatives of Indigenous communities. According to the organization Foro Penal, more than eight hundred people are being unlawfully held in Venezuelan prisons for political reasons.
One of them remains Javier Tarazona, a human rights defender, activist, and teacher who has repeatedly spoken out against the practices of the regime and the criminal organizations supported by Caracas. In 2023, we awarded him the Homo Homini Award in absentia. He has been imprisoned since 2021 and is still awaiting trial. He is not receiving necessary medical care, and his health is deteriorating.
We continue to help
Because the repression continues, we are reiterating our commitment to supporting our beneficiaries, as we have done since 2014. Our aim is to assist them in the democratisation process in the country.
We will continue to run our protection programme, offering psychosocial and legal support, advocacy and capacity building, as well as supporting political prisoners and their families until they are released.
We stress that it is essential for all parties involved to respect international law, as its repeated violation increases the risk that others will behave in a similar manner. The crimes of the Venezuelan regime must also be independently investigated, and human rights violations and repression must come to an end.
