The Lawfare Podcast Lawfare Archive: How Internet Infrastructure Affects Digital Repression in Venezuela
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Oct 18, 2025 
Esteban Carisimo, a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University, discusses Venezuela's internet crisis and digital repression. They explore the impact of internet censorship on protests following the recent elections. Carisimo highlights the deteriorating infrastructure, revealing alarming findings about service blocking and the lack of investment. He describes how governmental control simplifies censorship and suggests regional hubs could help improve connectivity. The conversation ends on a hopeful note, emphasizing the potential for recovery if political normalization occurs.
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Election Results Spark Major Legitimacy Crisis
- Venezuela's 2024 election raised strong doubts because observed tally sheets and polls contradicted official results.
- Esteban Carisimo highlights a real possibility of political dispute over who will govern next.
Targeted Blocks Sever Social And Family Links
- The government extended censorship to major platforms like Twitter and WhatsApp, worsening everyday communications.
- Carisimo stresses these blocks sever family contacts abroad and impede protest reporting.
Censorship Exists On A Spectrum
- Authoritarian regimes use a spectrum of internet controls from targeted blocking to full shutdowns.
- Venezuela has technical capacity for targeted censorship rather than wholesale shutdowns, Carisimo says.