Rubio Touts More Independent Media in Venezuela

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has touted the emergence of more independent media in Venezuela since the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.

Speaking to reporters on Sept. 23 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Rubio said that independent media is necessary to ensure free and fair elections.

“You need candidates … to be able to communicate with the public, and there have been positive steps in that regard,” he said. “In just the last two weeks, underreported fact, but a number of independent Venezuelan outlets that had not been allowed to broadcast in Venezuela for almost seven years are now broadcasting in Venezuela.”

Rubio went on to note that there is an increased media presence when opposition figures do press conferences.

“If you watch some of these opposition figures, they do press conferences, and there are literally 50 microphones on the table,” he said. “If you had gone there two years ago, there would have been three microphones at the table.”

Under Maduro, more than 400 media outlets were shuttered, according to Reporters Without Borders, citing local organizations.

This month, Venezuela lifted restrictions on more than a dozen news outlets that had been censored for years. The decision was made ahead of the second round of talks in Caracas between the interim government of Delcy Rodriguez and opposition parties.

Dinorah Figuera, head of the opposition delegation in the talks, applauded the move 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.

According to VE Sin Filtro, Venezuela recently unblocked 18 domains, restoring access to 15 news media sites. Currently, according to the digital rights organization, at least 177 domains remain blocked, including 78 from news sites.

Deputy Communications Minister Gustavo Villapol said the move 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.

Rubio also said that the United States wants to help Venezuela rebuild its economy and hold free and fair elections.

“You need to rebuild political parties. Many of the leaders of these parties are still abroad. Not just Maria Carina, who’s a very brave woman, but there are other people that are abroad,” he said. “These parties need the opportunity to rebuild, to organize, to become not protest movements but political movements. You need to have an electoral process that people have confidence in.”

Maduro was captured and arrested by the United States in Caracas in January to face charges on four counts related to narco-terrorism, conspiracy, and other offenses. His attorney, Barry Pollack, petitioned Judge Alvin Hellerstein of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York earlier this month to dismiss the case, arguing that as the head of a sovereign nation he should be immune from prosecution.

“This unprecedented prosecution violates the absolute immunity from criminal jurisdiction to which heads of state and foreign officials acting in ‌their official capacities have been ⁠entitled for hundreds of years,” Pollack wrote in the petition.

Maduro “vehemently denies” the allegations, Pollack said.

“Despite the incongruous position of the United States, recognizing Ms. Rodríguez, whom Mr. Maduro appointed vice president following his re-election in 2018, as head of state while not recognizing Mr. Maduro as such since the 2018 election, the United States has never contested that, regardless of his de jure status, Mr. Maduro remained the de facto head of state continuously since 2013,” Pollack wrote.

The indictment stated that Maduro “is now, having remained in power despite losses in recent elections, the de facto but illegitimate ruler of the country,” according to Pollack.