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November 04, 2025 – Venezuela –
Veteran Venezuelan crime reporter Joan Camargo was forcibly taken on the morning of October 30 as he left his home in the Cotiza district of Caracas, according to multiple press-freedom groups. Witnesses say an unidentified red vehicle and a motorcycle intercepted Camargo, forced him into the car, and drove off toward an unknown destination. His disappearance comes without official explanation or confirmation of his whereabouts.
Camargo, known for covering violent crime and local security issues in the Venezuelan capital, was last seen riding a motorcycle shortly before the abduction. The national journalists’ union (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Prensa / SNTP) issued urgent appeals for information and intervention, warning that his case fits a pattern of disappearances and detentions targeting media workers in Venezuela.
Press-freedom advocates say Camargo’s case underlines a deteriorating environment for independent reporting in Venezuela, where journalists regularly face threats, raids, and arbitrary detention. The lack of transparency over his fate intensifies concerns over the de facto culture of impunity. According to the SNTP and other watchers, Camargo joins dozens of colleagues who have been jailed, intimidated, or driven into exile while covering sensitive issues such as state security, corruption, and violence.
Human-rights organisations are calling on Venezuelan authorities to immediately disclose Camargo’s status, ensure his safety, and allow independent civil society and international observers to investigate. They argue that the absence of due process and official accountability not only jeopardises individual journalists but erodes Venezuela’s media environment more broadly, limiting the public’s right to know.
Camargo’s family and co-workers say they fear for his health and security as time passes without contact. They also warn that his case may signal a new escalation in targeting reporters who probe crime and unrest in Caracas and other Venezuelan cities. In addition to demanding Camargo’s safe return, press-rights groups are urging the international community to increase scrutiny of Venezuela’s treatment of the media and reinvigorate mechanisms for protecting journalists at risk.
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