Speak in code, delete the chats: The tactics Venezuelans are using out of fear of phone checks

From CNN

(CNN) — “Mami, delete the chats.”

“Son, that gets recorded.”

“Delete your conversations before going out.”

These recent WhatsApp messages of a Venezuelan family – who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals – underscore the caution civilians are taking in their daily conversations, on social media and in text messages as the government expands its crackdown on dissenting speech.

Reports of authorities searching civilians’ phones for political content critical of the government have increased since officials declared a state of emergency in response to the US attack in Caracas, which led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

Authorities have set up more checkpoints along the streets of the capital and other parts of the country, claiming they’re necessary to reinforce national security amid political tension. Some are stationary, usually near security zones or public institutions, but others are mobile. Officers stop drivers, ask where they are going, search the vehicles, and often go through their cell phones.

Although phone searches are nothing new, testimonies gathered by CNN show that these measures have increased since the government’s emergency decree after the January 3 US attack.

The decree enables authorities to adopt extraordinary measures, but it does not detail the scope, the criteria, or whether it limits the rights and freedoms of citizens such as the protection of privacy in communications.

On the other hand, article 48 of Venezuela’s constitution explicitly states: “The secrecy and inviolability of private communications in all their forms is guaranteed. They may not be interfered with except by order of a competent court, in accordance with legal provisions, and preserving the secrecy of any private matters not related to the corresponding legal process.”

Nevertheless, CNN has spoken with several Venezuelans who have had their phones searched in recent weeks. Because of this, many speak in code, avoid mentioning political leaders, constantly delete content from their phones and refuse to express opinions in WhatsApp groups.

‘Careful with what we say on WhatsApp’

Since Maduro’s capture by the US, daily life for ordinary Venezuelans has become full of uncertainty.

Exactly who is in charge of the country is unclear. While US President Donald Trump has claimed to be “running” Venezuela, Maduro’s former deputy – the now acting president Delcy Rodríguez – has pushed back, saying on Sunday that she’d had “enough” of US orders.

Still, there is no sign yet that she plans an election that would legitimize her rule. Meanwhile, the economy remains in crisis and the prices of basic products fluctuate daily.

The one thing that is certain, for anybody who might be perceived as a critic of the government, is the need to take precautions when going out in the street.

“This afternoon we received a statement from the neighborhood community council, and they recommended we be careful with what we say on WhatsApp and in writing,” reads one of the group messages seen by CNN.

Another message is from a family member who is outside the country and mentions their desire to go to Venezuela. A relative responds that it is better not to because “right now things are complicated.”

In response to the insistence of another family member who says they will travel anyway, they suggest deleting social media accounts and creating a new Google account. According to what CNN was able to verify, cell phones of people entering the country are also checked when they arrive at the airport.

At the request of their loved ones, families in other countries have told CNN that they, too, avoid political conversations and use code words on their phones to communicate with relatives in Venezuela.

A longstanding situation

Even before Maduro’s fall, routine checkpoints could become nightmares for civilians.

This is what a cook experienced in April of last year. The cook, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said that when he left his house on his way to work that day, an agent of the SEBIN intelligence service forced him to stop just after a bridge in western Caracas. They did not ask for papers or his ID card.

The first question was about his job. “Head chef,” he answered. The second question went straight to politics. “Are you a guarimbero?,” they asked, using a term the government coined to pejoratively refer to anti-government protesters. He replied that he was a cook and insisted that he worked as a head chef.

He even told the agent that he had recently become a father and just wanted to go to work and get home soon to see his newborn daughter. But instead of letting him go, they told him that they would check his car and cell phone.

After authorities asked him to unlock his phone, they typed keywords in the chat search such as guarimba – or street protest – and names like Diosdado Cabello (Venezuela’s interior minister) and Nicolás Maduro.

The cook told CNN that several of his friends had gone through similar situations, so he made a habit of reading and deleting any political content, although somewhere in his photo gallery he kept a picture with the opposition leader María Corina Machado. When they typed Maduro in the WhatsApp search, only recipes with plantains or ripe tomatoes appeared (maduro means ripe in English). And in the photo gallery, they only found pictures of dishes and his daughter.

The thorough search lasted about an hour “between intimidating messages and the same suspicious questions,” he recalls. During the vehicle inspection, one of the officers showed an interest in a motorcycle accessory he had in his truck. “Keep it. I don’t even have a motorcycle anymore,” the cook said, trying to end the situation with a gesture. Immediately after that, they gave him the signal to go on his way.

As he took off, he looked in the rearview mirror and saw other cars lined up waiting to be searched. Still, with a mix of fear and resignation, he drove away.

The experience affected him to the point that he now avoids political conversations entirely. Today, he says that if he receives a message on that topic, he asks to change the subject, deletes the texts and immediately empties the chat. He avoids going out alone, especially at night, because he says the number of checkpoints has increased. He also believes having tattoos draws more attention from officers. He says he has already been searched three times in less than six months.

The experience of a journalist

A journalist experienced a similar situation in December. In broad daylight and after sharing a coffee with colleagues, the journalist, who prefers not to be identified for fear of reprisals, was traveling down the Country Club route heading to El Bosque, in eastern Caracas, when he came across a police checkpoint that was stopping all the cars passing through the area, he said. This is the route the reporter usually takes when using “green paths,” or alternative ways to avoid traffic.

The procedure began with the usual requests: papers, ID and driver’s license. But then, they focused their attention on his wallet, he says. He recounts that when he opened it, a small, folded paper fell out, and he immediately felt the atmosphere change. The officers argued that they suspected he possessed marijuana, so they decided to do a more thorough inspection.

The tension increased. The officer asked for his phone and began to check it, also looking for keywords in his chats, traces of drug use, or anything that could implicate wrongdoing. The journalist says he did not have marijuana or any other drug in the car.

Fortunately, he says, the officers did not identify his profession and in their search did not include politically charged words that could have exposed conversations with his bosses, sources or colleagues. But he felt that fear throughout the search, which lasted almost an hour, leaving him extremely nervous and desperate to get out of the situation as soon as possible. He knew the episode was over when he heard the phrase: “Well, whatever you want to contribute.” He handed over a $50 bill from his wallet before continuing home.

The episode still affects his daily decisions. He has left several WhatsApp groups and frequently deletes content from his phone. He now avoids going out at night and limits his outings even during the day, leaving the house only when necessary.

Hidden tension and fear

Both men say they were surprised by the checkpoint, but not by the situation, given how increasingly frequent these measures have become.

Many civilians have taken to social media to report phone inspections, which sometimes lead to intimidation, extortion and even detention. Many claims are made by men, who say authorities often demand payments in exchange for allowing drivers to continue. Security forces also search women, even in the presence of children. All testimonies agree that agents are looking for political content, especially for terms such as “invasion” or “Trump” and “Maduro.” But during the searches, personal and even intimate content has also been exposed, leading to complaints that the practice violates constitutional protections of private life.

CNN has reached out to the interior ministry, which oversees most of these checkpoints, but has not yet received a response.

When asked about the issue by a journalist, Maracaibo Mayor Giancarlo Di Martino said on January 17 that cellphone inspections were “completely prohibited, so any officer who abuses their authority must be reported.”

Some people are not clear about their individual rights, including the right to privacy. Others know them, but fear being detained if they try to exercise them.

The non-governmental organization Espacio Público has shared recommendations on social media for those who encounter inspections: ask the officer to show necessary court orders that would allow a search, take note of the agent’s name and the entity they belong to in case there is no court order, and – if possible – try to have at least two witnesses and keep phone data encrypted, among other things.

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