Venezuelan nationals residing in Antigua and Barbuda have launched a formal condemnation against a recently published article which they allege presents a grossly distorted and favorable image of President Nicolás Maduro’s administration. In a publicly circulated statement, the expatriate community expressed profound dismay at the characterization of Maduro as a ‘good man’ portrayed through an anti-imperialist lens and as a victim of circumstance—a narrative they assert starkly contradicts the actual suffering endured by millions of Venezuelans both domestically and internationally.
The group emphasized that credible journalism must be rooted in truth, stating unequivocally that the article’s perspective ‘does not represent us as Venezuelans.’ They referenced the widespread protests that erupted across Venezuela mere months ago, where citizens demanded international assistance to overthrow what they label a dictatorial and repressive regime. Similar gatherings of despair were observed in Antigua, with Venezuelans congregating in local churches to pray for the removal of their leader.
Furthermore, the statement challenged the article’s credibility by citing extensively documented human rights abuses under Maduro’s government. These include the systematic imprisonment of dissidents, the operation of notorious detention and torture facilities like El Helicoide, and the catastrophic failure of public infrastructure and essential services. The authors highlighted the tragic exodus of over nine million Venezuelans fleeing economic collapse and political persecution, questioning how such well-established evidence could be overlooked.
Written from a position of exile, the communique described the original article as ‘deeply painful’ and accused it of whitewashing a regime responsible for widespread persecution, forced displacement, and the dismantling of democratic frameworks. The group concluded by dismissing the piece as not journalism, but rather outright disinformation.