By Benadeta Mwaura - Reporter
Venezuela, 6 January 2026 - Venezuelan authorities briefly detained at least 14 journalists and media workers in recent days while they were covering unfolding political events in the capital, the country’s National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) said on Tuesday, drawing fresh criticism from press freedom advocates.
The detentions occurred around Caracas during a pro-government march and the swearing-in of a new session of the National Assembly, which took place against the backdrop of ongoing political upheaval following the arrest and removal of former President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces.
According to the SNTP, 11 of those detained were working with international media outlets, while the remainder were from national media organisations covering events in and around the legislative palace. All were later released, but one foreign journalist was deported, the union said.
“This type of action not only threatens the privacy and the security of sources but also is a pattern of criminalisation of journalism,” the SNTP said in a statement cited by other press rights groups, warning that the scrutiny and detention of journalists’ mobile phones and equipment violated basic press freedoms.
The detentions came as Venezuela’s political environment remains highly charged after a U.S. military operation led to the capture of Maduro, who was taken to the United States and arraigned on narcoterrorism charges in a New York court.
Maduro’s removal has been followed by shifts in leadership and questions about the direction of governance in Caracas.
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The SNTP’s disclosure follows a longer pattern of press repression in Venezuela. Independent media monitoring organisations have documented numerous arrests, harassment and restrictions on reporters over recent years, particularly after the disputed July 2024 elections, with dozens of journalists detained and pressured under national security or public order laws.
Press freedom advocates have repeatedly condemned such actions, saying they undermine both Venezuelans’ right to information and the safety of journalists reporting on events of national importance.
Human Rights Watch and other groups have also noted that media repression predates the current political crisis, with journalists regularly subjected to intimidation, arbitrary detention and legal harassment.
Requests for comment from Venezuelan authorities and several of the media organisations involved, were not answered.
