Venezuela unblocks some news websites censored for years

Venezuela has lifted restrictions on several news websites that had been censored for years, its telecom regulator said.

Under the administration of Nicolas Maduro, who was captured by the US in January, hundreds of national and international websites, as well as various news portals, were censored.

Following Maduro's ouster, Washington has backed talks between the interim government, led by Delcy Rodriguez, and parts of the opposition. The decision to unblock the websites came ahead of the second round of talks in Caracas. 

Dinorah Figuera, head of the opposition delegation in the talks, celebrated the decision in a post on X.

"Informing without fear cannot continue to be a privilege, but must be compliance with the law. This is a first step; there are still many media outlets missing, and they all have to return," she said.

Dozens of sites still blocked

VE Sin Filtro, a digital rights organization, confirmed that 17 news sites had been unblocked and that they were accessible through different internet providers. It added that 188 websites remain inaccessible, including 79 news portals.

Journalists and NGOs have long denounced the censorship imposed under Maduro.

Some users relied on VPNs to access these websites.

Deputy Communications Minister Gustavo Villapol said the decision was aimed at ending polarization.

"We can never again vilify people without having proof in hand; we cannot use communication for interests that are external to the vital meaning of our nation," he said on state television.

Maduro's fall stirs fears for Venezuelan, regional stability

Journalists respond with skepticism

Luis Ernesto Blanco, editorial director of Runrunes, one of the unblocked websites, said Thursday's move amounted to an official acknowledgment that public debate had been stifled.

Victor Amaya, who runs the TalCual news portal blocked in mid-2024, voiced skepticism that all censored sites would become accessible again, but said he hoped the change would lead to "a normalized communication environment."

The TalCual portal lost 60% of its audience due to the blockade, as well as much of its advertising revenue.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders last month said repression, censorship, restricted access to information and an increasingly hostile legal environment had severely stifled independent journalism in Venezuela.

Edited by: Natalie Muller

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