A year after Nicolás Maduro’s disputed 2024 re-election, Venezuela remains locked in repression, Human Rights Watch reports.

The election was widely criticised for fraud, with opposition tallies suggesting their candidate won. Instead of easing tensions, Maduro’s government launched “Operation Knock Knock,” a crackdown targeting protesters, opposition figures, and human rights defenders.

Over 850 political prisoners remain, many held incommunicado and subjected to torture.

Trials are often perfunctory, with vague charges like “terrorism.” The government uses prisoner releases as a tactic while continuing arrests.

Families endure anguish amid enforced disappearances. International efforts, including prisoner swaps with the US, have yielded little systemic change.

Human Rights Watch urges stronger foreign pressure, support for civil society, and leveraging international forums to push for genuine human rights progress.

Maduro’s regime remains firmly authoritarian, silencing dissent and crushing hopes for democracy.

Source: HRW