Caracas Chronicles

Name: Carlos Correa
Date of Detention: January 7, 2025
Location: Caracas city center
Profession: Activist, journalist and university professor

On January 7, Carlos Correa, a Venezuelan journalist and human rights advocate, runs NGO Espacio Público and is one of the founders of the digital journalism outlet Crónica Uno. He was detained in Avenida Bolívar in Caracas, near Espacio Público’s offices, by unidentified masked men claiming to be security agents, according to witnesses quoted in a press release by Espacio Público.

Over the past two decades, the preservation of democratic values in Venezuela has relied on the unwavering efforts of human rights advocates, community leaders, and NGOs. Among these, Espacio Público, established in 2002, has played a key role in activities that range from the legal defense of cases regarding access to information to the daily data recollection of human rights abuses against independent media in Venezuela.

As the director of Espacio Público, Carlos Correa has participated in over 30 hearings before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and other international bodies. His relentless advocacy has previously come at a personal cost, as he has faced threats, harassment, and even physical assaults throughout his career.

Espacio Público stated on X: “On January 11, the Venezuelan government once again denied knowing the whereabouts of Carlos Correa. Sebin’s El Helicoide headquarters, DGCIM, and Zone 7 of the National Police all claim he is not there (…) We continue searching.” 

The continued silence from state officials about Correa’s whereabouts adds to the violation of the constitutional guarantee of habeas corpus, which was denied according to information from the Second Control Court. Habeas corpus is a legal right that requires a person to be brought before a judge immediately and publicly. The judge then decides whether the arrest was lawful and if it should continue or be stopped. It also ensures transparency about who carried out the arrest and where the person is being held. This process protects citizens from unlawful detentions and prevents them from being held without legal justification.

Mabel Calderín, Correa’s wife and a highly respected professor at the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Caracas, emphasizes that her husband’s health condition is one of the most concerning aspects of his unlawful detention: “I need to know where he is. Carlos has special health conditions that require permanent treatment (….) and has committed no crime. He has dedicated his life to the defense of everyone’s human rights, no matter their ideology.”  

Since the presidential elections on July 2024, 221 politicians, 23 journalists, and six human rights activists have been detained. Other detainees also face health issues that put their lives at risk due to inadequate medical care. Carlos Chancellor, a leader of La Causa R arrested on August 7, has a history of high blood pressure and type II diabetes. José Gregorio Camero, a journalist and AD member, suffers from acute coronary syndrome and coronary artery blockages, according to his family. At least three detainees have died from health complications exacerbated by inadequate medical attention while in state custody. 

This Monday, the government sponsored media outlet Venezuela News reported that sources from the Public Ministry claimed that Correa and the former presidential candidate Enrique Márquez (also detained on January 7), allegedly structured a plan to swear in president-elect Edmundo González Urrutia on January 10. This aligns with statements made by Diosdado Cabello, Minister of Interior and Justice, on his weekly show “Con el Mazo Dando,” where he claimed Márquez was involved in a failed coup against Nicolás Maduro. The targeting of human rights advocates, journalists, and political figures has become a central pillar of Maduro’s repression strategy following the presidential elections.

Correa’s forced disappearance has been condemned by local and international NGOs, as well as by Colombian President Gustavo Petro. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued precautionary measures for his protection. Social media users have been actively sharing the hashtags #DóndeEstáCarlosCorrea (Where is Carlos Correa?) and #LiberenaCarlosCorrea (Free Carlos Correa) to raise awareness. 

Meanwhile, the government is yet to issue an official statement regarding the case.