Media

The Venezuelan government has ramped up an intimidation campaign against opposition activists and the media since last month’s presidential election. Now, some people are trying to find creative ways to bypass the censorship.

This Sunday, there’s a crucial presidential election in Venezuela that has brought high hopes for change. The country’s authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro is seeking reelection. During his 11-year rule, the country’s economy collapsed, repression escalated and millions of people left, contributing to a migrant surge across Latin America and the United States. According to most polls, Maduro is not a popular president, but it’s not clear if he will give up power if he loses.

US President Joe Biden’s announcement to step out of the presidential election elicited a burst of mockery in Russian state media. But analysts say that these messages reveal a lot more about Russian politics than the US democratic system.

Evan Gershkovich, a US reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was sentenced in Moscow court on July 19 to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. The Wall Street Journal and the US government have called this a “sham trial” and vehemently deny the charges. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports on the plight of Gershkovich and other Americans detained in Russia on baseless charges.