Venezuela Unblocks Ten News Sites Amid Press Freedom Demands

The Venezuelan government lifted restrictions on ten news websites on Thursday, including EFE Noticias, El Pitazo, and Efecto Cocuyo. Acting president Delcy Rodríguez directed the move, which the National Telecommunications Commission formalized through technical notifications sent to internet service providers.

While the action is viewed as an unprecedented admission that the state blocked media outlets, monitoring group VE Sin Filtro reports that 194 domains remain blocked, including 84 news sites. The partial restoration follows sustained pressure from journalistic bodies and demands submitted to the 2015 National Assembly delegation.

Reactions to the decision have been mixed. Dinorah Figuera, president of the National Assembly, described the unblocking as a first step toward democracy. However, the National Union of Press Workers criticized the measure as insufficient. The union is demanding the full restoration of all blocked media, the release of six imprisoned journalists, and the repeal of the Anti-Hate Law.