Venezuela Presidential Election: Nicolas Maduro government cancelling passports of activists and journalists?

Things are not back to the normal in Venezuela yet. The government has apparently cancelled the passports of dozens of activists and journalists since long-time President Nicolas Maduro claimed a hugely disputed reelection victory.

Rights groups in the country believe the cancellations are part of an intensifying campaign of repression against Maduro’s opponents, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing Caracas-based rights group Laboratorio de Paz.

Several human rights activists and journalists have had their passports annulled in recent days and not being given an explanation, as per reports. The group said the number of people affected is likely to be much higher because of the fear of reporting cases.

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The Financial Times reported that a number of people in Venezuela have had their passports confiscated by authorities as they tried to board flights from the main airport in the country. The agency cited the rights group as the source.

Murder or torture have a higher political cost, reported FT quoting the co-director of the group as saying, adding the government has found that passport cancellation is an effective method to neutralise and muffle critical voices and not put a lot of efforts, too.Nicolas Maduro has claimed victory in Venezuela Presidential Election in July – a claim rejected as false by the opposition. The Guardian recently reported that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez has said that he had to forcefully sign a letter accepting Maduro’s victory.