At least 14 journalists were detained in Caracas on Monday, 5 January, while covering proceedings around the National Assembly and nearby areas, the National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) said. Thirteen were later released the same day and one foreign reporter was deported, according to the union and international media monitoring the detentions. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/over-dozen-media-workers-detained-venezuela-says-national-press-association-2026-01-06/?utm_source=openai))
SNTP reported arrests inside the Federal Legislative Palace, on surrounding streets and in the Altamira district. Journalists were blocked from live transmission or filming inside the chamber, while security personnel demanded phone passcodes, searched devices and reviewed calls and messages. Several arrests were attributed to military counterintelligence (DGCIM) and intelligence officers. ([ansalatina.com](https://www.ansalatina.com/americalatina/noticia/politica/2026/01/06/detenidos-y-liberados-14-periodistas-en-actos-oficiales-del-lunes_f1d98bb4-4183-4464-ae50-a69741c5bdfd.html?utm_source=openai))
Two reporters - a Colombian and a Spanish national - were detained by Venezuelan authorities near the border by Cúcuta and held for hours without contact before being returned to Colombia, according to the union’s account. ([jpost.com](https://www.jpost.com/international/article-882445?utm_source=openai))
The detentions coincided with Vice‑President Delcy Rodríguez taking the oath as interim president on 5 January before a pro‑government legislature. Her swearing‑in followed the removal of Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. operation days earlier, Reuters reported. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/delcy-rodriguez-formally-sworn-venezuelas-interim-president-2026-01-05/?utm_source=openai))
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown to New York after a pre‑dawn raid in Caracas. Both pleaded not guilty on 5 January to narcotics and weapons charges in a Manhattan federal court; the judge scheduled the next hearing for 17 March 2026. ([washingtonpost.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/01/05/maduro-court-appearance-trial-new-york/?utm_source=openai))
Press‑freedom groups abroad condemned the Caracas detentions. The National Press Club in Washington said journalists must be able to work without fear of arrest or expulsion and urged respect for international protections for newsgathering. ([press.org](https://www.press.org/newsroom/national-press-club-condemns-detention-journalists-venezuela?utm_source=openai))
SNTP reiterated its call for the release of 23 media workers it says remain in prolonged detention nationally, highlighting continuing constraints on independent reporting. ([ansalatina.com](https://www.ansalatina.com/americalatina/noticia/politica/2026/01/06/detenidos-y-liberados-14-periodistas-en-actos-oficiales-del-lunes_f1d98bb4-4183-4464-ae50-a69741c5bdfd.html?utm_source=openai))
These events sit within a wider clampdown since the disputed 28 July 2024 election. Human Rights Watch has documented more than 2,000 detentions linked to protest and criticism, and Reporters Without Borders notes the use of the “anti‑hate” law to pursue journalists and outlets. ([hrw.org](https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/30/venezuela-brutal-crackdown-elections?utm_source=openai))
After year‑end case reviews, authorities said 99 detainees were freed on 26 December and a further 88 on 1 January, though rights groups dispute totals and say many remain jailed. The legal NGO Foro Penal’s latest consolidated figure placed political prisoners at 863 as of 29 December. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuela-frees-88-more-prisoners-detained-after-post-election-protests-2026-01-01/?utm_source=openai))
For editors and correspondents, the operational risk is immediate: forced device unlocking and data searches compromise sources and chill reporting, while visa access for foreign media remains narrow. Monday’s detentions reflected both patterns inside the legislature and at the city’s periphery. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/06/venezuela-detains-journalists-after-nicolas-maduros-captured?utm_source=openai))
Analysis: The political context remains unsettled. The U.S. president said Washington would “run” Venezuela until a transition, while Rodríguez has signalled rejection of external control. How these positions translate into security practice will determine reporting conditions in the coming weeks. ([cbsnews.com](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-venezuela-nicolas-maduro-captured-transition/?utm_source=openai))