Maduro Launches “Snitch” App Amid U.S. Tensions

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has promoted a revamped mobile app, VenApp, encouraging citizens to report suspicious people or activities amid fears of a U.S. attack. The app, originally launched in 2022 to report utility issues, has been repurposed as a tool for citizens to inform authorities of anything considered disloyal or seditious, raising alarm among human rights groups.

“This initiative represents a serious concern for privacy, freedom of expression, and security,” said the activist group Venezuela Sin Filtro. Amnesty International has warned the app could facilitate unlawful arrests, detentions, and other rights abuses.

Apple and Google removed VenApp from their stores in 2024, but the app remains accessible to existing users and through a government-backed browser version. CNN reported that citizens in Caracas are invited to notify authorities about drones or “suspicious people.”

The push comes amid heightened tensions with the U.S., which is deploying troops and military assets in the southern Caribbean, allegedly to combat drug trafficking. Maduro, who has faced international criticism over contested elections and ongoing street protests, has framed VenApp as a security measure.