Venezuelan press union counts six journalists detained after elections

Caracas, Aug 21 (EFE).- The National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) of Venezuela has reported the arrests of six journalists following the presidential elections on July 28, which sparked a political crisis in the country, the union’s secretary general, Marco Ruiz, told EFE on Wednesday.

The most recent case – he explained – is that of the journalist Ana Carolina Guaitaan employee of the digital media outlet La Patilla, who was arrested on Tuesday afternoon when she was near her residence in the coastal state of La Guaira, close to Caracas.

According to her relatives, 24 hours have passed since the arrest, but the whereabouts of the reporter and the reasons for her detention, carried out – according to the SNTP – by agents of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (Sebin), are unknown.

The union noted that a dozen journalists are behind bars in the country, four of whom were arrested in the months leading up to the elections, some while covering campaign activities.

At least four journalists have been charged with “terrorism” after being arrested during protests against the official election results, which confirmed Nicolás Maduro as president-elect for a third consecutive term, SNTP reported.

Through X, the union has warned of an “illegal and arbitrary use of anti-terrorism laws (…), especially against journalists and photojournalists detained during post-election protests.”

On August 14, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) rejected the accusation of this crime and condemned the increase in arbitrary arrests, censorship and blockades against the press in the Caribbean nation.