In a surprising move, Venezuela's authoritarian regime decided on Thursday to lift restrictions on at least ten news websites. This decision was formalized by the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) through a "technical notification" sent to internet service providers, following the directive of the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez.
According to research conducted by the organization VE Sin Filtro, the sites that have been restored include Alberto Rodríguez News, Caraota Digital, Crónica Uno, EFE Noticias, Efecto Cocuyo, El Estímulo, El Pitazo, Monitoreamos.com, Runrunes, and Revista Semana.
VE Sin Filtro also noted that the state-owned company Cantv began lifting the restrictions almost simultaneously with the official statement from the Program for Peace and Democratic Coexistence, released on Wednesday night. Other service providers like Digitel, Inter, NetUno, and Movistar followed suit in the following hours.
A Landmark Acknowledgment
This move marks an unprecedented acknowledgment from the Venezuelan government. VE Sin Filtro claims it is the first time the state has openly admitted to blocking media outlets and recognized the impact of such actions on freedom of expression.
However, VE Sin Filtro described the lifting of bans as "completely insufficient," noting that 194 domains remain blocked in the country, with 84 of them being news outlets.
Pressure from Journalistic Bodies
The partial unblocking seems to be a response to formal pressures from journalistic organizations. On September 3, representatives from media outlets like La Patilla, El Nacional, VPI TV, El Diario, and various regional media, alongside the Venezuelan Chamber of the Radio Broadcasting Industry, submitted a list of five urgent demands regarding freedom of expression to the elected 2015 National Assembly delegation. These demands included lifting all website bans by Conatel.
Dinorah Figuera, president of the National Assembly, celebrated the development but was clear about its limitations. "Today, a window opens that many Venezuelans have been waiting for years," she wrote on her X account, cautioning, "This is just the first step. Many more media outlets need to return fully and permanently. Without a free press, true democracy and genuine engagement among Venezuelans are impossible."
Figuera also rejected the notion of treating access to information as a privilege granted by the government: "This is a right in a full democracy, not a concession. Reporting without fear should not remain a privilege but a legal obligation."
Demanding Comprehensive Change
The National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) was more demanding in its evaluation. The organization called for the process to cover 100% of affected media and organizations across all operators definitively. They criticized Conatel for remaining silent about the decisions that sustained these restrictions for years without known administrative acts or legal grounds.
In addition to the complete unblocking, the SNTP demanded the immediate release of six journalists still facing legal proceedings, the repeal of the Anti-Hate Law, and the urgent renewal of pending radio concessions, a situation leaving approximately 70% of the country's radio stations—over 800 outlets—in legal uncertainty.
The lifting of bans comes just before the second in-person cycle of the dialogue process outlined in the Program for Peace and Democratic Coexistence, where the 2015 National Assembly delegation announced that freedom of expression issues would be on the agenda.
The SNTP stated that it will continue to monitor the lifting of restrictions and demand guarantees to prevent any government authority from imposing new blocks arbitrarily.
Key Aspects of Venezuela's Media Unblocking
Which news websites have been unblocked in Venezuela?
The websites that have been unblocked include Alberto Rodríguez News, Caraota Digital, Crónica Uno, EFE Noticias, Efecto Cocuyo, El Estímulo, El Pitazo, Monitoreamos.com, Runrunes, and Revista Semana.
What prompted the partial unblocking of media websites in Venezuela?
The partial unblocking is likely a response to formal pressures from journalistic bodies and a list of demands submitted by media representatives to the 2015 National Assembly delegation.
What are the main criticisms of the current media unblocking in Venezuela?
Critics argue that the unblocking is insufficient as 194 domains remain restricted, and they demand comprehensive freedom of the press, including the release of journalists and the repeal of the Anti-Hate Law.