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Venezuela’s shadowy security forces have struck again, this time targeting Ana Guaita Barreto, an intrepid journalist who has been a thorn in the side of the government as a reporter for La Patilla.
According to her loved ones, Guaita Barreto was dragged away from her home near Caracas, fueling concerns about the country’s rapidly deteriorating press freedom.
The trade union representing media workers has decried the alarming surge in journalist detentions since Nicolás Maduro’s contested re-election on July 28, with Ana Guaita Barreto’s arrest marking the sixth such incident.
As the government tightens its grip on power, the nation’s embattled press corps faces an increasingly hostile environment.
The contentious presidential election outcome has ignited a firestorm of protests across Venezuela, prompting a harsh government crackdown that has seen scores of citizens arbitrarily detained, according to human rights organizations.
The wave of arrests has only added fuel to the flames of discontent, as demonstrators demand a fair and transparent electoral process.
Ana Guaita’s detention has all the hallmarks of a politically motivated move, with her trade union alleging that her arrest was a direct result of her association with the opposition-leaning news site La Patilla.
Compounding the suspicion is the fact that both her parents are prominent opposition figures, making her a prime target for government reprisal.
The whereabouts of Ana Guaita remain a mystery, with rights activist Tamara Sujú revealing that her family has been left in the dark about her location following her detention.
Meanwhile, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) has joined the chorus of condemnation, slamming the Venezuelan government’s “systematic repression” of journalists and amplifying calls for Guaita’s release.
Read also: Venezuelans Take To Streets As Election Controversy Deepens
It said members of the media faced “aggressions, censorship, and judicial harassment without due process, which leads to arbitrary detentions”.
More than 2,400 people have been detained by the Venezuelan government since the election, with some facing dubious “terrorism” charges, sparking fears of a broader crackdown on opposition.
Detainees are being denied basic rights, held without access to independent legal counsel and barred from contacting their loved ones, sparking concerns about due process and human rights.
The PCV, which broke with Maduro’s government last year, denounced on Tuesday the persecution of public sector employees who dare to criticize the president, saying they are being unfairly dismissed from their jobs.
López, leader of the PCV, denounced the persecution of workers who criticize Maduro or question the election outcome, saying at a news conference that they face threats and intimidation for exercising their right to free speech.