The murder of a Venezuelan TikToker during a live stream has highlighted the dangers facing those personally denouncing organized crime, although it is unlikely to lead to further instances of targeted violence.
Gabriel Sarmiento was shot dead on June 22 while he streamed on social media from his home in Maracay, Aragua. He had posted prolifically about the presence of Tren de Aragua, the country’s most notorious gang, within the state as well as connections between police and gangs. He even named and published photographs of alleged members.
Venezuelan government officials have insisted that Tren de Aragua has been driven out of the country. Foreign Minister Yván Gil previously referred to it as “fiction created by the international media.”
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Attorney General Tarek William Saab acknowledged that Sarmiento claimed to have received threats from criminals and police officers. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said that the police have arrested one individual allegedly linked to the crime and that the killers have already been identified, but insisted they are not members of the police force.
The killing echoes that of Luidig Ochoa, alias “Cara e’ muerto,” a former inmate at the infamous Tocorón prison who became a prominent YouTuber. He was murdered in Maracay in 2014 after creating a video series detailing conditions and corruption at the prison, which later became the headquarters of Tren de Aragua.
The government has targeted numerous press figures who have directly criticized it, but also those who have published stories that contradict the state’s distorted portrayal of organized crime in the country. Sixteen journalists are currently imprisoned on charges that range from inciting hate to terrorism, according to the Venezuelan non-governmental organization Instituto Prensa y Sociedad. As a result, coverage of organized crime and corruption among legacy media outlets is often limited to reproduced press releases.
In the absence of critical coverage, some in Venezuela like Sarmiento have turned to denouncing crime and corruption online. Sarmiento was something of an anomaly in that he did this while still living in the country and openly revealing his identity. Many others continue to do so from abroad from their own social media accounts, while others send reports to accounts on social media sites and messaging applications like Telegram that have sprung up to provide spaces for Venezuelans to anonymously publish information.
InSight Crime Analysis
As attention-grabbing as Sarmiento’s murder was, it is unlikely to mark the beginning of a trend of similar murders of those reporting on organized crime in Venezuela.
Whoever ordered the killing has drawn more attention to Sarmiento’s videos than ever, and the attorney general’s acknowledgement of the case means there will be pressure to produce arrests, even if it is unlikely that officials will make any serious effort to tackle the type of institutional corruption Sarmiento criticized.
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A state of impunity is likely to remain the status quo for many crime groups in Venezuela, where corruption is rampant and organized crime is increasingly linked with state elements.
As corruption and restrictions on traditional Venezuelan media leave those seeking to denounce gangs and corruption with little alternative but to voice their concerns online, the latest murder is a stark reminder of the danger of personally doing so from within Venezuela. This may further boost the popularity of social media accounts that allow anonymous reports, rather than silencing them.
Featured image: Murder victim Gabriel Sarmiento live streaming on TikTok. Credit: Gabriel Sarmiento