Venezuela scores 37.0/100 on the 2023 RSF World Press Freedom Index, ranking #159 globally. Freedom House rates it Not Free (15/100). Context: pop 28.5 million, GDP $482.36B.
2023 Press Freedom Scorecard
Overall score and global position
In the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, Venezuela scores 36.99 out of 100 and ranks #159 globally — one of the most restricted press environments in the world. Of the 25 Freedom House indicators, Venezuela earns 0 at the maximum 4/4 and 14 at 0/4; its strongest category is Freedom of Expression (6/16) and its weakest is Government Functioning (0/12).
37.0 / 100
Composite index comparison
Press freedom score — higher is freer.
Elections, political pluralism, government functioning.
Freedom of expression, association, rule of law, personal autonomy.
Academic press-freedom index from the Varieties of Democracy project (0–1 rescaled to 0–100).
Five-year RSF trend
Over 2019–2023, Venezuela moved from 50.90 to 36.99 on the RSF scale (a decline of 13.91 points). The lowest recorded score was 36.99 and the highest was 54.34.
Year-over-year RSF movement
Venezuela's biggest single-year RSF movement in the 2019–2023 window was a loss of 14.62 points between 2021 (52.40) and 2022 (37.78).
| Years | From | To | Δ score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 → 2020 | 50.90 | 54.34 | ▲ 3.44 |
| 2020 → 2021 | 54.34 | 52.40 | ▼ -1.94 |
| 2021 → 2022 | 52.40 | 37.78 | ▼ -14.62 |
| 2022 → 2023 | 37.78 | 36.99 | ▼ -0.79 |
Full socio-economic dashboard
Demographics & geography
Economy & labour
Health
Education
Administration
All socio-economic indicators from the World Bank country dataset (2023 snapshot).
Democratic Rights & Civil Liberties
Freedom status explained
Freedom House classifies Venezuela as Not Free with a 2024 aggregate score of 15/100 — basic political rights and civil liberties are widely denied.
Within Freedom House's Americas region (35 countries), Venezuela ranks #34 on the latest aggregate score — the 3rd percentile. The region leaders are Canada, Uruguay, Barbados.
Political Rights vs Civil Liberties
Rating 7 of 7 (1 = best)
Rating 6 of 7 (1 = best)
Civil liberties are rated higher than political rights — everyday freedoms are better protected than the formal political framework (elections, pluralism, government functioning).
Twelve-year Freedom House trend
Between 2013 and 2024, Freedom House moved Venezuela from Partly Free (Partly Free, 39/100) to Not Free (Not Free, 15/100).
Status transitions
Freedom House records 1 status transition for Venezuela between 2017 and 2017 — each row below marks the year the classification flipped between Free, Partly Free, and Not Free.
| Year | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Partly Free | → | Not Free |
Indicator trajectory (A–G over 12 years)
Of the 25 Freedom House indicators tracked for Venezuela, 18 moved at least one point across the available Freedom House history. The eight with the largest absolute change appear below.
| Code | Indicator | Earliest | Latest | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Free and fair head-of-government elections | 2/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -2 |
| A2 | Free and fair legislative elections | 2/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -2 |
| B1 | Right to organise in political parties | 2/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -2 |
| B2 | Opposition can gain power | 2/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -2 |
| B4 | Minority political rights | 3/4 (2013) | 1/4 (2024) | ▼ -2 |
| D4 | Private discussion | 3/4 (2013) | 1/4 (2024) | ▼ -2 |
| E1 | Freedom of assembly | 2/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -2 |
| G4 | Equality of opportunity | 2/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -2 |
Latest A–G indicator scorecard
Electoral Process
PR
-
A1Free and fair head-of-government elections
0/4
-
A2Free and fair legislative elections
0/4
-
A3Electoral laws and framework
0/4
Political Pluralism & Participation
PR
-
B1Right to organise in political parties
0/4
-
B2Opposition can realistically gain power
0/4
-
B3Free political choice without domination
0/4
-
B4Political rights of minorities
1/4
Functioning of Government
PR
-
C1Elected officials determine government policy
0/4
-
C2Safeguards against corruption
0/4
-
C3Transparency of government
0/4
Freedom of Expression & Belief
CL
-
D1Free and independent media
1/4
-
D2Freedom of religious expression
3/4
-
D3Academic freedom
1/4
-
D4Free private discussion
1/4
Associational & Organisational Rights
CL
-
E1Freedom of assembly
0/4
-
E2Freedom for NGOs
1/4
-
E3Free trade unions
1/4
Rule of Law
CL
-
F1Independent judiciary
0/4
-
F2Due process in civil and criminal matters
0/4
-
F3Protection from illegitimate force
0/4
-
F4Equal treatment under the law
1/4
Personal Autonomy & Individual Rights
CL
-
G1Freedom of movement
2/4
-
G2Property rights
1/4
-
G3Personal social freedoms
2/4
-
G4Equality of opportunity
0/4
Each indicator is scored 0–4 by Freedom House analysts; category subtotals combine into the Political Rights (A + B + C = 0–40) and Civil Liberties (D + E + F + G = 0–60) aggregates shown above. 2024 edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Venezuela see its biggest RSF press-freedom change?
The sharpest single-year shift was an deterioration of 14.62 points between 2021 (52.40) and 2022 (37.78) on the RSF index.
Has Venezuela changed Freedom House classification in the last 12 years?
Yes — Freedom House reclassified Venezuela from Partly Free to Not Free in 2017, and the classification has held since.
Which Freedom House indicator moved most in Venezuela?
Indicator A1 (Free and fair head-of-government elections) changed by -2 points, moving from 2/4 to 0/4 across the available history — the biggest indicator-level movement of the 25 Freedom House sub-scores for Venezuela.
How does Venezuela rank within its Freedom House region?
Venezuela holds position #34 of 35 in the Americas region on the latest Freedom House aggregate score. The region's top country is Canada (97/100).
What is Venezuela's economic context for its press freedom score?
Venezuela has a GDP of $482.36B across a population of 28.5 million, giving a per-capita GDP of about $16,915. Its capital is Caracas; the official language is Spanish.