{
  "id": 8139963,
  "title": "Venezuela unblocks some censored news sites",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/venezuela-unblocks-some-censored-news-sites",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T00:07:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/venezuela-unblocks-some-censored-news-sites-2-1.500678849"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Venezuela has partially lifted censorship on several news websites, according to the country's telecom regulator CONATEL, as US-backed political transition talks were scheduled to restart. President Nicolas Maduro, who was detained by US forces in January and succeeded by interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, had previously imposed censorship on hundreds of websites. The restoration of internet access came just before the second round of talks in Caracas, which will concentrate on freedom of expression. Digital rights organization Venezuela Sin Filtro confirmed access to 17 news sites via multiple internet providers. However, 188 websites, including 79 news outlets, remain blocked. Journalists and non-governmental organizations have been fighting against censorship for years, often requiring virtual private networks (VPNs) to access restricted sites. Deputy communications minister Gustavo Villapol stated that the decision aimed to prevent further division and ensure that public discourse is based on facts. The opposition delegation to the transition talks, represented by opposition leader Luis Ernesto Blanco, welcomed the measure as a step towards restoring open debate. Some blocking decisions were reportedly arbitrary, with no administrative or judicial orders. Opposition delegates to the talks expressed optimism that all blocked sites would eventually be restored. While some outlets, such as TalCual, welcomed the news, others remain skeptical about the full reestablishment of open communication.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}