Surveillance and Censorship Following July’s Presidential Election

17 Sept

Following the controversial July 2024 presidential elections in Venezuela, a severe crackdown on protests and dissent has unfolded, with technology playing a central role in facilitating state repression. Thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets to demand transparency after the election results, which claimed the re-election of Nicolás Maduro. These results have been widely contested both within Venezuela and by international bodies like the Organization of American States (OAS).

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Opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado spearheaded efforts to challenge the legitimacy of the results. They called for the publication of the original tally sheets from the election, which remain unavailable, raising concerns over transparency. In response, the opposition coalition Comando con Venezuela published their own tally sheets, accessible via an independent online portal.

Technology-Driven Repression

The Venezuelan government responded swiftly and harshly to the protests. One of the key tools of repression was the surveillance application VenApp, initially introduced in 2022 to monitor public services but now weaponized to control dissent. VenApp allows citizens to report "suspicious" activities, encouraging a culture of surveillance.

Reports also highlighted the increased use of drones for monitoring and controlling protests, as well as heightened detentions at airports. Journalists, human rights defenders, and activists have faced intimidation tactics, such as passport annulments and public parades of detainees by security forces. These actions have created a pervasive sense of fear, causing many to retreat from public activism and reduce their visibility on social media.

A Climate of Fear

In response to this environment, individuals and NGOs have adopted measures to protect themselves. Many have set social media profiles to private, used AI-generated avatars, and sent sensitive information abroad to avoid detection. Arbitrary detentions have become common, with social media posts and informants' tips often leading to arrests.

This digital repression is part of a broader strategy by the Venezuelan government, drawing on domestic policies and tactics from other authoritarian regimes. It represents years of efforts to control and isolate the population, particularly through technological means.

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