Inside the Secret Network Powering Maduro’s Propaganda Machine
An unprecedented leak reveals how Siscom operates—a system through which Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication sends direct messaging lines to thousands of loyalists and bureaucrats
The bolívar keeps falling, the brecha cambiaria remains wide, and the lack of foreign currency persists. Now, Maduro & Co. resort to repression against exchange rate trackers
On Wednesday, May 28th, Venezuelan police arrested Carlos Pérez Abreu, the manager of the Instagram account monitordolar.vzla—a tracker of official and black market exchange rates with over 1.1 million followers. He’s accused of promoting the use of “parallel dollars,” a move seen as an attempt to censor the reporting of unofficial rates used by many to save in US currency.
Pérez Abreu faces charges of terrorism, illegal fundraising, and false advertising. Últimas Noticias, which often serves as a mouthpiece for the government, reported that 25 people across seven states have been arrested under similar accusations—echoing Diosdado Cabello’s claim that these platforms “manipulate rates to harm the people.”
On Sunday, June 1st, El Dorado P2P, a platform for trading stablecoins in Latin America, announced it was ceasing operations in Venezuela. Its Venezuelan founder, Guillermo Goncalvez, denied having promoted speculation. Other platforms and social media accounts have stopped publishing black market rates.
Economist Asdrúbal Oliveros warned that “growing penalties and controls” will lead to shortages and fuel more black-market activity.
The issue currently causing the most anxiety for Venezuelans stems from a mix of the country’s long-standing exchange controls—now over 20 years old—and specific unfolding events
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Chavismo is staging an electoral event on May 25th. We're here to poop the party
The Joker sent out selective invites for a lousy “mega election.” A few supposed adversaries made the guest list and others cry betrayal. Will attendance be worth it or does it make odd guests part of the act?
Like Pope Francis, the Uruguayan icon of the Latin American left leaves a mixed legacy on Venezuela
15 media outlets band together... not for aguardiente but for the future of Venezuelan journalism
Venezuela’s top university challenges the Maduro regime over occupied property, while Diosdado messes up a sloppy tale about mercenaries and Albanian drug lords #NowWhatVenezuela