William Acosta, CEO of Equalizer Investigations for FinGurú
Executive Summary
In today's Venezuela, surveillance and repression are not improvisations of power, but the result of a meticulous architecture that converges the most cutting-edge technology from China, Russia, Italy, and Israel with the repressive Cuban doctrine. This entire ecosystem —ranging from city cameras to the interception of phone calls and emails— is coordinated and centralized from Caracas, guaranteeing preventive and total social control (Human Rights Watch, 2025).
Introduction
Everyday life in Venezuela is surrounded by monitoring mechanisms that often go unnoticed by the average citizen but condition everything from private conversations to public organization. Domestic intelligence has been reinforced by direct consulting from the Cuban G2 and an imposing technological infrastructure imported and assembled since 2013, which includes platforms, software, and devices from countries like China, Russia, Italy, Israel, and also the United States, through formal acquisition (Havana Times, 2024; Voice of America, 2022).
Architecture and Coordination of the Repressive Apparatus
SEBIN, DGCIM, UCTS, CONATEL, and CESPPA constitute the framework of state surveillance, with direct coordination from the Cuban G2, responsible for training, planning, and operational supervision of political control and repression tasks (Havana Times, 2024).
Training and International Cooperation
The training of UCTS officials in intelligence techniques, selective repression, and urban control is described under Cuban direction, along with technical training provided by Russia (electronic warfare, SORM operation, and GLONASS satellite), China (population surveillance and censorship), Italy (digital intervention), and Israel (forensic analysis) (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2025; Grey Dynamics, 2024).
Platforms and Technological Surveillance Systems
China: SIMA and VEN911 (CEIEC, Huawei, and ZTE) equip cities with over 30,000 cameras and facial recognition; the Carnet de la Patria, developed by ZTE, centralizes the management of biometric and social data; the VenApp application and the Venezuelan Great Firewall replicate Chinese population control models (Deutsche Welle, 2020).
Russia: The SORM system allows for the interception and massive storage of communications; radars and electronic warfare equipment enable electromagnetic tracking, and the GLONASS system provides satellite coverage (The Moscow Times, 2024).
Italy: Genesis is the set of digital espionage tools implemented in DGCIM to intervene in encrypted messaging and emails (ICIJ, 2024).
Israel: Cellebrite UFED analyzes and extracts encrypted data from devices seized during raids or political detentions, while Pegasus represents the cutting edge in remote surveillance of mobile phones (Great Reporter, 2025).
United States / IBM: SEBIN uses the IBM i2 Analyst’s Notebook program, one of the most advanced intelligence analysis suites globally. This software is the analytical axis of the BÚHO system and the heart of big data architecture applied to repression and mapping dissidents (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2022).
Location and Monitoring Room Network
From CESPPA and the National Command Center in Caracas, through 40 regional centers and over 200 municipal rooms connected to SIMA and VEN911, the entire network is integrated to collect, analyze, and centralize information captured by the aforementioned technologies.
Legality and Arbitrary Measures
Despite legal formalities, data shows that mass interception and surveillance are practiced without judicial oversight or real controls (IFEX, 2020).
Impact
Combining Chinese, Russian, Italian, Israeli systems, and IBM i2 Analyst’s Notebook/BÚHO advanced software, the Venezuelan state has deployed a complete digital surveillance model that allows for preventive repression, profiling, selective persecution, and the systematic suppression of social and political dissent (Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, 2025).
Access to Technology by Sanctioned Regimes
Despite international sanctions aimed at regimes considered repressive, these governments continue to access the technology, licenses, and equipment necessary to operate their control apparatus. Among the main factors allowing this continuity are:
• Legal gaps and inaccuracies: Many sanctions are formulated ambiguously or contemplate exceptions, enabling technology and equipment transfers that are not strictly illegal, thus facilitating evasion and allowing certain entities to continue operating.
• Evasion networks and use of intermediaries: Sanctioned regimes often turn to shell companies or third countries to acquire technological products or receive maintenance services. Investigations have shown the use of companies registered in neutral or allied countries to hide the final destination of the technology, making traceability difficult.
• Difficulty of global control: The application of sanctions faces the logistical challenge of monitoring all possible routes of trade, re-exportation, and equipment maintenance; although direct export may be limited, equipment, spare parts, and services often arrive indirectly.
• Supply and maintenance as critical links: Technological equipment requires, in addition to acquisition, continuous maintenance, calibration, and upgrading services. Through operators in other jurisdictions or under different legal identities, technicians and companies continue to provide these indispensable services for the functioning of the repressive apparatus.
• Limited responsibility of suppliers: In various jurisdictions, manufacturers and distributors do not always face legal consequences if their products reach sanctioned countries through third parties, especially when the sale is recorded to another client or nation.
In summary, sanctioned regimes manage to keep their technological systems active through legal loopholes, evasion strategies, intermediation, and the difficulty of controlling all links in the supply chain and technical support.
Conclusion
Venezuela embodies today the paradigm of the surveillance state: the combination of advanced technology, control methods, and the absence of democratic guarantees has constructed a surveillance machine that, like “the eye that never sleeps,” observes, stores, and punishes. If not confronted with structural reforms and international oversight, its impact will extend to the entire region and perpetuate a cycle of repression that is nearly impossible to reverse, even in the face of superficial political changes (Human Rights Watch, 2025).
References
• Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. (2022, June 22). Response from IBM to allegations about sale of surveillance technology in Latin America. https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/response-from-ibm-to-allegations-about-sale-of-surveillance-technology-in-latin-america/
• Deutsche Welle. (2020, November 30). The U.S. sanctions a Chinese company operating in Venezuela. https://www.dw.com/es/eeuu-sanciona-a-una-empresa-china-que-act%C3%BAa-en-venezuela/a-55736265
• Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect. (2025, July 18). Venezuela. https://www.globalr2p.org/countries/venezuela/
• Great Reporter. (2025, July 28). How Israel’s Cellebrite spy tech powers repressive and often illegal mobile surveillance everywhere. https://greatreporter.com/2025/07/28/how-israels-cellebrite-spy-tech-powers-repressive-and-often-illegal-mobile-surveillance-everywhere/
• Grey Dynamics. (2024, November 24). New Venezuela-Russia intelligence cooperation. https://greydynamics.com/new-venezuela-russia-intelligence-cooperation/
• Havana Times. (2024, August 15). The footprints of Cuban intelligence in Venezuela. https://havanatimes.org/features/the-footprints-of-cuban-intelligence-in-venezuela/
• Human Rights Watch. (2025, April 30). Venezuela: Brutal crackdown since elections. https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/30/venezuela-brutal-crackdown-elections
• ICIJ. (2024, July 24). Maduro regime doubles down on censorship and repression in lead up to Venezuelan election. https://www.icij.org/inside-icij/2024/07/maduro-regime-doubles-down-on-censorship-and-repression-in-lead-up-to-venezuelan-election/
• IFEX. (2020, November 24). The UN evidences patterns of extreme surveillance and violation of privacy by Venezuelan intelligence agencies. https://ifex.org/es/la-onu-evidencia-patrones-de-vigilancia-extrema-y-vulneracion-de-privacidad-por-parte-de-organismos-de-inteligencia-de-venezuela/
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (2025, March 18). Venezuela: Harsh repression and crimes against humanity ongoing. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/03/venezuela-harsh-repression-and-crimes-against-humanity-ongoing-fact-finding
• The Moscow Times. (2024, November 8). Russia signs security, energy deals with Venezuela. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/11/08/russia-signs-security-energy-deals-with-venezuela-a86944
• Voice of America. (2022, January 14). China seen backing “digital authoritarianism” in Latin America. https://www.voanews.com/a/china-seen-backing-digital-authoritarianism-in-latin-america-/6398072.html
About the Author:William L. Acosta is a graduate of PWU and Alliance University. He is a retired police officer from the New York police department, as well as the founder and CEO of Equalizer Private Investigations & Security Services Inc., a licensed agency in New York and Florida with international reach. Since 1999, he has led investigations in narcotics, homicides, and missing persons cases, in addition to participating in criminal defense at both state and federal levels. A specialist in international and multi-jurisdictional cases, he has coordinated operations in North America, Europe, and Latin America.
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