The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 37 other civil society and press freedom organizations in a joint statement calling on Venezuelan authorities to guarantee a peaceful and democratic transition that respects human rights and freedom of expression after President Nicolás Maduro was captured by the United States in a January 3 strike.
As documented by CPJ, Maduro’s administration launched a media crackdown following the country’s disputed July 2024 elections that saw several journalists arrested in connection with their work. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have since been transported to the U.S. to face drug trafficking charges.
The statement calls for an “immediate, firm, and coordinated international response grounded in human rights and democratic principles, upholding multilateralism and constructive dialogue to preserve Latin America as a region free from war.”
Read the full statement in Spanish here.