Venezuela: Women Press Freedom Condemns Detentions of Journalists Deysi Peña and Dayana Krays
13 press workers jailed by authorities while covering unrest following contested election
Location: Venezuela, Guaicaipuro, Caracas
Date: August 4, 2024
Women Press Freedom firmly denounces the detentions of Deysi Peña, Dayana Krays and other journalists following their coverage of protests against President Nicolás Maduro’s disputed election victory. The Venezuelan authorities have persistently harassed and intimidated journalists reporting on political events and demonstrations to control the narrative. While Krays was later released, Peña and multiple other press workers remain behind bars and are being denied access to their legal representatives, another outrageous infringement on their rights. Maduro and his regime’s assault on press freedom and suppression of dissent must end. We demand the immediate release of all wrongfully detained journalists and call for a fair and transparent recount of the election results.
Deysi Peña Detained and Facing Multiple Bogus Charges
On August 2, 2024, photojournalist Deysi Peña was detained by the Miranda Police while covering post-electoral protests at the Los Nuevos Teques service station in the Guaicaipuro municipality.
Peña's detention is reportedly linked to the photographs she posted on social media of demonstrations on July 30, 2024.
Following a preliminary hearing on August 4, Peña faces serious charges, including terrorism, incitement to hatred, resistance to authority, vandalism, damage to private and public property, and obstruction of public roads—the terrorism charge alone carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
Peña is being denied access to a lawyer and is reportedly being transferred to a women's prison in Los Teques.
Dayana Krays Detained in Caracas
On August 3, 2024, journalist Dayana Krays was detained by the Nicolás Maduro regime while covering a protest led by opposition leader María Corina Machado in support of presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzáles.
Krays, reporting for the Ecuadorian digital portal La Data and Venezuelan media outlet Caraota Digital, was documenting the large turnout at Las Mercedes, a central avenue in Caracas, where supporters of Machado and Gonzáles gathered.
Her reports, published throughout the morning, highlighted the increasing number of protesters expressing their opposition to Maduro's recent presidential proclamation.
Krays' coverage was abruptly interrupted when the truck she was in—carrying opposition leaders—was stopped by officers from the National Bolivarian Police Corps (DAET). The officers claimed they were conducting a document check, but Krays, via her personal X account, indicated that the stop was clearly an attempt to disrupt the protest and its media coverage.
By late afternoon, Krays continued to report on the protest through various social media platforms, including a video post on her Instagram account, which showed her on the streets with her press vest. However, by 7:33 p.m., Krays went silent.
The media outlets she worked for reported her missing and confirmed that she had been detained by Maduro's security forces while returning home. She was released hours later, authorities claim she was taken into custody “fomenting hatred” while doing her journalistic work.
Alongside Peña and Krays, 11 other journalists have also been detained, including Yousner Alvarado, cameraman Paúl León, and reporter José Gregorio Carnero. These journalists are being held in various jails across Venezuela and many have been denied access to their lawyers. Multiple are facing terrorism charges.
Unrest Following Presidential Elections
The latest protests were sparked by the controversial presidential election in Venezuela. Authoritarian leader Maduro was declared the winner by the National Electoral Council (CNE) with 51% of the vote. However, several Latin American countries, the opposition in Venezuela and the United States have refused to recognize Maduro’s victory.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken criticized the flawed electoral process and outcome. The United States deemed Maduro’s swift declaration of victory uncredible, noting that independent reports and opposition tally sheets suggested that opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia had actually won the election by a significant margin.
On July 28, 2024, Women Press Freedom documented severe harassment and intimidation of journalists covering the presidential election. This included detentions, harassment, and restrictions imposed by government officials and law enforcement, aimed at suppressing independent reporting and obscuring allegations of election fraud.
The disputed results have led to widespread demonstrations across the country. Human rights organizations report that at least 11 people have been killed and over 1000 arrested.
Authorities are also investigating opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado for insurrection following their appeals for military support in response to Maduro’s contested reelection.
The situation in Venezuela is deeply troubling, the crackdown on protestors and journalists is a clear attempt to stifle dissent and control the narrative surrounding the questionable election results. Women Press Freedom condemns the action of the Maduro regime. We demand the immediate release of Deysi Peña and her detained colleagues as well as the restoration of some semblance of democracy in the country. We urge international pressure on the Venezuelan government to uphold democratic norms and human rights.
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