A glimmer of hope for democracy in Venezuela as opponents test the limits of free speech скачать в хорошем качестве

A glimmer of hope for democracy in Venezuela as opponents test the limits of free speech

(6 Feb 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Caracas, Venezuela - 31 January 2026 1. Various of opposition politician Andrés Velásquez at his office 2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Andrés Velasquez, opposition politician: "We couldn't let ourselves be imprisoned by these people. And although the possibility of leaving the country as a last resort was always there, we held on, we held on, moving here and there, and we were able to wait these 16 months. And thank God, well, here we are in the country." 3. Various of Velasquez speaking with the Associated Press 4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Andrés Velasquez, opposition politician: "We said, well, it's time to take some risks. More than as a test, as a challenge to the regime. Well, go ahead, let's do it and go out. That's what made us get involved in this case, coming out publicly, and it also motivated other leaders to come out." ASSOCIATED PRESS Caracas, Venezuela - 5 February 2026 5. Velasuqez greeting people before press conference 6. Various of Velasquez speaking 7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Andrés Velasquez, opposition politician: "The regime has made repression, persecution and imprisonment its fundamental and primary policy for remaining illegitimately in power. Today, we can say that they are in power because of the brutal repression and fear they have generated throughout Venezuela. And that is why today, it is essential for us to demand that any work, any path, any road we want to take in pursuit of freedom must begin with the dismantling of the entire apparatus, the entire repressive infrastructure that the regime has built up over all these years." ASSOCIATED PRESS Caracas, Venezuela - 2 February 2026 8. Facade of church 9. Journalist Carlos Julio Rojas who was recently released from jail speaking with people 10. Rojas hugging his lawyer Eduardo Torres, both recently released from prison UPSOUND (Spanish) "Look, my lawyer and the defendant that we both ended up in jail" 11. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carlos Julio Rojas, journalist: "We conquered our freedom. It was a conquest because the objective was to break us. And today I decided to speak and remove the gag because for a journalist and a Human Rights defender not to speak is a form of torture." 12. Rojas wearing a rosary 13. Group of people released from prison including Rojas posing for picture STORYLINE: Andrés Velásquez didn’t stick around to become one more government critic jailed after Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election. A former governor who had crisscrossed Venezuela stumping for then-President Nicolás Maduro’s opponent in the disputed race, he grew a thick beard, sent his children into exile and avoided public events that could expose him to arrest. But in the aftermath of Maduro’s overthrow by the U.S., he mustered the courage to speak out. First, on January 19, Velásquez, with his new look, appeared in a video in which he expressed support for Maduro’s removal while calling for new elections. Then, a few days later, he stuck his neck out even further, shooting a short video outside the infamous Helicoide prison in the capital, Caracas, to demand the release of all political prisoners. The political liberalization, while still incipient, was likened by Velásquez to glasnost, referring to the era of reforms and freer public debate that preceded the collapse of the Soviet Union. Dissidents went into hiding, and the few remaining independent news outlets softened their already cautious coverage for fear of being unplugged. "It's time to take some risks. More than as a test, as a challenge to the regime.", Velasquez told the AP. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...