Venezuela cancels passports of dozens of journalists, activists, FT reports

Venezuela has canceled the passports of dozens of journalists and activists since President Nicolas Maduro claimed a reelection victory, portion of what rights groups accidental is an intensifying run of repression against the authoritarian president's opponents, the Financial Times reported Saturday.

At slightest 40 people, mostly journalists and quality rights activists person had their passports annulled without explanation, the paper reported, citing Caracas-based rights radical Laboratorio de Paz.

The radical warned that the fig of radical who person had their passports canceled is apt to beryllium overmuch higher owed to Venezuelans' fearfulness of reporting cases, the FT said.

Laboratorio de Paz could not beryllium instantly reached for the report.

People person had their passports confiscated by authorities portion attempting to committee flights from the country's main airport, the paper reported, citing the rights group.

Unlike execution oregon torture, which person a higher governmental cost, the authorities has recovered that passport cancellation is an effectual mode of neutralizing and muffling captious voices with minimal effort, the paper reported citing Rafael Uzcátegui, co-director of the rights group.

The study comes aft Maduro was proclaimed the victor of the South American nation's disputed July ballot by electoral and judicial authorities, a assertion rejected arsenic mendacious by the opposition.