Carmela Longo will be presented before an anti-terrorism court

The Venezuelan entertainment journalist Carmela Longo, arrested this Sunday after a “raid” of her home in Caracas, will be brought before an anti-terrorism court next Tuesday, the National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) said.

Through X, the organization indicated that officials from the Criminal Investigations Division (DIP) of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) “confirm” the arrest of Longo, whom the Public Ministry (MP, Prosecutor’s Office) “would accuse of instigating hatred and terrorism.”

The union, which is demanding her release, denounced hours earlier that PNB agents “raided” the journalist’s home, who was then arrested “They took” along with his son, an operation during which the officials took “some computer equipment” and which took place five days after his dismissal from the national newspaper Últimas Noticias, which is close to the government.

On that social network, the union shared a video of the moment in which the journalist and her son were taken to one of the two police vehicles that were parked outside the building.

The SNTP later reported the release of Longo’s son after being “interrogated at the headquarters” of the DIP in Caracas.

Last Tuesday, Longo expressed, through X, that “a stage of his life of almost 20 years was ended,” four days after leaving for vacation.referring to her work at the newspaper, where – she noted – she was a union delegate “for more than half of that time.”

These actions were rejected by non-governmental organizations and opposition leaders, who denounced a “repression” against “the free press” in the Caribbean country.

How many journalists have been detained in Venezuela?

As of Wednesday, the SNTP had counted six journalists detained following the presidential elections of July 28, after which a political crisis broke out in the country, it told EFE the union’s secretary general, Marco Ruiz, for a total of ten, including the four arrested in the months prior to the elections, some while covering campaign activities.

At least four, says the SNTP, They have been charged with the crime of “terrorism” after being arrested during the protests against the official result of the elections, which ratified Nicolás Maduro as president-elect for a third consecutive term.

Through X, the union has warned of an “illegal and arbitrary use of anti-terrorism laws (…), especially against journalists and photojournalists detained during post-election protests.”

On August 14, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) rejected the accusation of this crime and condemned the increase in arbitrary arrests, censorship and blockades against the press in the Caribbean nation.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado called on the international community on Saturday to hold Maduro responsible for the “unleashed repression,” especially after last month’s elections.