Maduro must #KeepItOn in times of protest and unrest

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We, the undersigned organizations and members of the #KeepItOn coalition, demand that the Nicolás Maduro regime stop imposing internet shutdowns and blocking essential communications platforms in Venezuela.

In response to post-election protests in Venezuela, the Maduro-led administration has tightened its grip on the exercise of fundamental rights both online and off. As the people of Venezuela took to the streets to contest the outcome of the 2024 general elections which declared Maduro as winner, authorities in Venezuela have resorted to shutting down the internet, censoring any dissenting opinions, and other digital repression tactics to silence, intimidate, and target critics.

In the early morning hours of August 1, as protests ramped up and international pressure intensified, state-owned internet service provider CANTV and its subsidiary Movilnet both went offline nationwide for nearly two hours. Since then, intermittent disruptions have continued both nationally and regionally, but it is unclear at this time whether each disruption was imposed intentionally or is the result of the overall instability of Venezuela’s telecommunications infrastructure and electrical grid, which have been severely degraded through years of neglect by Maduro’s government.  

As protests intensified in the country, Maduro blamed Big Tech companies and social media platforms as drivers of the protests and unrest in Venezuela. On August 8, Maduro ordered the blocking of the X platform in a live television broadcast. The blocking, which was supposed to last 10 days, is still ongoing in the country. Other platforms including Reddit and Microsoft Teams were also blocked for at least six days. Maduro has accused TikTok, Instagram, and X of wanting to “start a civil war” in Venezuela and expressed his intention to regulate or block these platforms. As of publishing, TikTok and Instagram are still accessible in the country. These targeted platform blocks come alongside sweeping censorship in a media environment that was already heavily restricted. Authorities blocked most of Venezuela’s independent news media, blocking 62 media sites in the run-up to and during the election. At least 55 of these media sites remain blocked. For at least two days, the state-owned telco CANTV disrupted access to AWS Cloudfront, which is used by countless media outlets, streaming services, online retailers, and more to deliver their content. They have also selectively targeted VPNs that would enable people to circumvent the platform and website blocks now in place.

On August 8, authorities also blocked the website and application of Signal, an encrypted messaging service, without explanation. Beyond direct platform blocks implemented by technical means, Maduro has also used disinformation to create an atmosphere of fear around the use of secure communications platforms and urged his supporters to stop using Meta-owned WhatsApp, which he claimed was being used by “fascists” to spread violence. He has encouraged people to move to alternative platforms such as Telegram or WeChat, which do not use end-to-end encryption like Signal and WhatsApp, and activists warn that the move to force people onto less secure platforms will likely further endanger critics of the regime, exposing them to heightened surveillance or arbitrary arrests. This is particularly concerning in the context of widespread doxxing, surveillance, and arbitrary detention of human rights defenders and anyone who dares voice their opposition. 

Human rights activists have condemned the widespread restriction of these critical communication platforms as part of the government’s playbook to prevent communication between local activists and the external world. 

With protests against the outcome of the election, which many have described as fraudulent and undemocratic, continuing to escalate and security forces arresting or detaining thousands of critics, access to the internet and digital platforms is more important than ever for human rights defenders and the international community to monitor and document human rights abuses and hold the Maduro regime accountable.

Venezuela has a terrible record of shutdowns and abuse of human rights

The Maduro government has a history of shutting down the internet during times of civil unrest and political turmoil to control information flows and suppress dissent. Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition have documented at least 15 incidents of shutdowns in Venezuela between 2018 and 2023 to quell protests, target opposition activities, and control information flow. In 2023, authorities disrupted internet access in several locations around Caracas on October 22 for several hours during a primary election to vote for opposition candidates. In 2019, authorities imposed at least 12 shutdowns to clamp down on protests in the country. 

Shutdowns violate international human rights standards

Disrupting internet access during key national events such as protests and elections is forbidden by international law. Internet shutdowns violate people’s fundamental rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and assembly. Internet shutdowns and censoring of digital platforms violate Article 57 of the Venezuelan Constitution, which states that “everyone has the right to express freely his or her thoughts, ideas or opinions orally, in writing or by any other form of expression, and to use for such purpose any means of communication and diffusion, and no censorship shall be established.”

On a global scale, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Venezuela is signatory, ensure the fundamental right to freedom of expression. Internet shutdowns are also strongly condemned in international convenings including the UN Human Rights Council Resolution 47/16, which denounces “the use of Internet shutdowns to intentionally and arbitrarily prevent or disrupt access to or dissemination of information.”

Call to action

The human rights situation in Venezuela is at risk of further deterioration as Maduro and his followers consider the adoption of a cyber-fascism bill as well as the creation of a National Cybersecurity Council which would embolden the regime to imprison journalists, activists, and dissenters; disqualify political candidates; and impose fines on critics for comments they deem “forbidden.”

As tensions escalate and the government is devising innovative ways to silence critical voices and target human rights activists and dissidents in the country, we urgently appeal to the international community including the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC), United Nations (UN), and the Organization of American States (OAS) to join civil society’s calls for an end to the ongoing crackdown in Venezuela and hold Maduro to account for all human rights abuses. The ongoing internet shutdown, censorship, and other technology-enabled violations are further shrinking the already non-existent civic space in the country. 

We strongly denounce the ongoing crackdown on human rights both online and off across Venezuela, the deployment of internet shutdowns, and the targeting of social media platforms to stifle dissent. We call on Maduro and his allies to put an end to internet shutdowns as well as all other tactics being implemented to suppress freedom of expression, access to information, the right to assembly and association across the country.

Signatories