In front of the doors of the headquarters The Nationalin Los Cortijos, Caracas, the jurist White Pink León Marbleemeritus judge of the Supreme Court of Justice, questioned the recent unlocking of a small number of digital information portals by the Executiveand warned that there are still numerous censored media outlets in the country and that the measure in no way constitutes democratic opening.
Even though he Program for Peace and Democratic Coexistence insists that these actions seek to promote an environment of greater transparency, pluralism and free expression in the country, the jurist’s meeting with the press ended in a scene that accurately illustrates the climate of intimidation in which journalism is practiced in Venezuela.
“Manipulation” maneuvers
During the press conference, Mármol de León was emphatic when cataloging these Executive measures as “manipulation” maneuvers designed to appease social pressure and the protest in the street.
“These unblockings, which were carried out by a few media outlets and not all, are undoubtedly a manipulation in response to the call of citizens to protest for the right to express themselves. But that does not solve the problem; it is part of the hot topic they are putting with this alleged dialogue, which is more of the same. What we want is for substantive measures to be taken, for freedom of expression to be returned to all citizens, for all media to be able to operate, for exiled journalists to return and for political detainees are released,” said the jurist.
He supported the reports of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Missionpointing out that the recurring practice of Carrying out short-term arbitrary detentions seeks to institutionalize fear among activists and leaders.
“They are right when they say that the repressive system is in force. It is a moderate repression; it appears to be respectful at first, but they always end up taking the detained people without any judicial decision. They keep them for a few hours and then they release them. That is intimidation,” he said.
On the political level, Mármol de León He ignored the legitimacy of the Executive and the president in charge, Delcy Rodríguezwarning that in Venezuela there is a power vacuum after the end of the interim. In his opinion, the only valid constitutional solution is the formation of a government board that directs the country towards free elections.
He described the reform of the TSJ law as “Rodrigato” maneuver to perpetuate control over the Judiciaryremembering that the true legitimate Supreme Court remains in exile after suffering political persecution.
Regarding the tutelage of the United States over Venezuela, the jurist emphasized that President Donald Trump “has no power to say who is the legitimate ruler of Venezuela.” According to Marmol de León, Venezuelans maintain their sovereignty and that is what allows them to choose. “Delcy Rodríguez has no capacity, power or constitutional support; she is a usurper”he stated.
The intimidation continues
The contrast between the official discourse and the reality of the country was evident as soon as Blanca Rosa de León tried to enter the facilities of The Nationalinfrastructure expropriated in 2021 and where the company currently operates International University of Communications. A group of alleged reporters without credentials, microphones with identification or badge of any mediaapproached her in a hostile manner, questioning her for entering a headquarters that according to one of them is property of the Minister of the Interior and Justice, Diosdado Cabello.
Not satisfied with this and simultaneously, they began to photograph and record directly and insistently towards the journalists who accompanied the jurist, this being the pattern of signing and intimidation used against the press in Venezuela for more than a decade.
Expropriation of the headquarters of El Nacional
The structure that for decades was the basis of the editorial team and the presses of The Nationaltoday operates under the figure of the International University of Communications (Lauicom). After the execution in 2021 of the judicial measure that awarded the headquarters to Diosdado Cabello, the property was converted by the government of Nicolás Maduro into a center where “communicators” propagandists of the official discourse are trained.
Far from constituting a plural academic space dedicated to informative rigor, the institution functions as an ideological platform aimed at training young people with the aim of increasing the government propaganda machinery.
The press remains blocked
Forty-eight hours after advertisement of the interim government on the restoration of digital access to mediathe censorship infrastructure remains active in Venezuela, denounces Espacio Público. Even with cases of worsening of the blockade, as has happened with The National.
A monitoring by the NGO revealed that 57 sites are still blocked and access was only restored to 20. They noted a selective measure and incomplete.
He National College of Journalistshe National Union of Press Workers and IPYS Venezuela They demanded that the restitution of digital access be applied to all restricted platforms.
