Third woman journalist unjustly detained post disputed presidential elections

Location: Venezuela, Maiquetía
Date: August 20, 2024

Journalist Ana Carolina Guaita was detained by suspected intelligence agents (SEBIN) from outside her home, with the reasons for her detention and her current whereabouts remaining unknown. Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns this unjust targeting of the journalist. Guaita’s detention is part of a troubling pattern of increasing persecution of journalists under Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Since disputed presidential elections last month, Women Press Freedom has documented an alarming rise in press violations in the country, including physical assault, multiple detentions and harassment by authorities. We are deeply concerned for Ana Carolina Guaita and call on SEBIN to immediately disclose her whereabouts and release her. The state persecution of independent journalists must end.

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On the afternoon of August 20, 2024, Ana Carolina Guaita, a journalist with La Patilla, was forcibly taken from her home in Maiquetía by individuals identified as agents of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN). 

Guaita was taken without any clear justification or court order. Her relatives confirmed the detention occurred around 6 p.m. Her current whereabouts remain unknown. 

Human rights defender Tamara Sujú reported that Guaita was taken away in a white van from in front of her house. 

The owner of La Patilla, Alberto Ravell, condemned the operation as an arbitrary detention and a clear act of harassment against journalists. Perkins Rocha from Comando con Venezuela also criticized the arrest, describing it as a politically motivated action against a journalist whose only "crime" is reporting the truth.

This incident is further complicated by Guaita's family connections to prominent opposition figures, which has intensified the political and media reaction.

This detention is the latest indication of the increasing repression against independent journalists under Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Since the controversial elections on July 28, 2024, which were widely criticized for fraud, the Venezuelan government has intensified its crackdown on media. Between July 29 and August 4, Women Press Freedom documented 15 violations against women journalists, including physical attacks, detentions, and harassment.

At the beginning of August,  two women journalists were detained by authorities while covering post-election protests.  While Dayana Krays, a reporter working for an Ecuadorian outlet was released, photojournalist Deysi Peña remains behind bars. She is facing serious charges including terrorism, incitement to hatred, resistance to authority, vandalism, and obstruction of public roads. The terrorism charge alone carries a maximum sentence of 30 years.

Ana Carolina Guaita’s detention, conducted without justification or a court order, is emblematic of a broader pattern of state-sponsored harassment and intimidation of the press. Her detention, coupled with the recent incarceration of photojournalist Deysi Peña and other women journalists, exemplifies the severe and systemic suppression of journalistic freedoms in Venezuela. Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns this unjust targeting and calls for the immediate disclosure of Guaita's whereabouts and her release. The ongoing state persecution of journalists must cease, and we urge international bodies and human rights organizations to intensify their efforts to hold the Venezuelan government accountable and ensure the safety of independent journalists in the country.

Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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