"The Venezuelan judicial system issued a sentence on Nov. 11, 2025, against Juan Francisco Alvarado, a 31-year-old social communication student. The National Union of Press Workers (SNTP, for its Spanish acronym) denounced the case, stating that the process lacked evidence and due process guarantees and that the case became an example of the criminalization of citizen reporting.
Alvarado, who lived in the community of Apartadero, Cojedes state, was simply seeking a solution to problems affecting his daily life. The overflowing sewage in his area prevented him from performing basic tasks in his own home, forcing him to travel daily to his grandmother's house. Using the VenApp application (a tool created by the government itself) and his social media accounts, Juan reported the collapsed sewers and the malfunctioning electrical transformers, which were never repaired, even though public funds had already been allocated for the work.
[...]
Those close to Alvarado maintain that Juan was simply putting into practice what he learned in his journalism studies: reporting on the reality of his surroundings."
