Rosali Hernandez, a Venezuelan photojournalist, visited one of the main hospitals in Caracas, the nation's capital, last month. She started taking pictures of COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospitals when she was met by a member of the armed forces.

According to Hernandez, the military official asked for her telephone and camera. When she refused, the official forced her to erase all of her materials. All the photographs she took before entering the medical facility were also deleted.

The armed officials said she was not authorized to capture photographs inside the hospital despite having proper press credentials. She also received threats never to go back to the medical center again.

Hernandez said she had been forced to stop working by members of the national security forces and guards on three separate occasions.

"In one of the hospitals, the medical staff begged me to erase the photographs she took," she revealed. "They said they weren't allowed to share information with reporters and that they feared for their security."


Crackdown

More than 35 other reporters and media outlets reported the same incident Hernandez suffered through. Many were victims of smear campaigns, threats, and persecutions. Others had lawsuits filed against them and their equipment confiscated.

The Venezuelan government has been preventing media coverage of all coronavirus-related stories since March 13. It was the day when health officials reported the first case of the virus in the country. According to Redes Ayuda, a Venezuelan non-profit organization, at least 10 reporters have been arrested while covering COVID-19 related stories. They estimate at least 7 other journalists were detained.

The crackdown comes as many Venezuelans start to seek more information as the pandemic's situation in the country worsens. Health officials recorded 345 coronavirus cases and 10 fatalities. Experts fear the number may be several times higher.

Doctors and health care workers have repeatedly warned about the collapse of the country's healthcare system. Venezuela has been facing medical equipment shortage for years.


Suppression

The COVID-19 crisis only provided more excuses for the government to censor critical media. The journalists will have more difficulty covering vital news in a country that has already presented many challenges to the press.

The free flow of information is essential for curbing the spread of the virus. A free press will ensure that all necessary information will reach those who need it.

Press organizations say the climate for journalists in Venezuela has grown extremely tense since the inflation rates soared during the 2016 political crisis. Many journalists have fled the country primarily due to the growing violence affecting the press.

The country's law also allows the government to arbitrarily arrest independent journalists. A 2017 law on the 'advocacy of hatred' lets officials prosecute and imprison those who "instigate hate and violence across media.


'Promoting Hate'

Darvinson Rojas, a freelance journalist, said he was arrested after he covered recent numbers of coronavirus cases. He was tied using his shoelaces, and his face was covered with his T-Shirt.

The special forces baited Rojas with an anonymous phone call. The caller said there was a person infected with the virus inside his house. They captured him when he went out to take a photo and forcibly entered his house. They stole all of his equipment-including four computers, two cellphones, and an iPad.

The special forces threatened and hit neighbours who tried to intervene.

Rojas and his parents were arrested. His parents were released on the same day. He was detained for 12 days and released on April 2.

Law enforcement officials charged him with "instigation to commit crimes."


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