In Venezuela today, telling the truth about the economy can get you arrested. Throughout June, the regime conducted a roundup of economists and researchers who were shedding light on Maduro’s chronic economic mismanagement. These arrests are simply the latest iteration of Maduro’s unshakable authoritarian instincts, only emboldened since his successful rigging of the Venezuelan presidential election in 2024. This latest crackdown vindicates President Trump’s return to a ‘maximum pressure’ strategy.
This mass repression campaign is a sign of an anxious regime; Maduro knows that the true state of the Venezuelan economy is beyond abysmal. President Trump acknowledged these truisms with his decision not to renew Chevron oil licenses. Fundamentally, the administration knows that throwing a lifeline to a weakened regime is not in the U.S.’s interest, and they also know that dictators do not change their ways .
Around 58 individuals, including former finance minister Rodrigo Cabezas, have been charged with financial crime or terror offences for their roles in exposing the ongoing economic crisis in Venezuela. Some of those arrested were simply hosting websites showing the Venezuelan people the true value of the dollar on the black market compared to the disastrously inflated Bolivar.
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