Censorship of Venezuelan Films Reveals Fascism at the Malaga Film Festival
Image from The Battle of the Bridges documentary. X/ @MaduroJefe
March 18, 2025 Hour: 9:29 am
‘They are afraid of Venezuela’s truth,’ President Maduro stated.
On Monday, President Nicolas Maduro harshly criticized the censorship of three Venezuelan films that will not be screened at Casa de America in Madrid.
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“Fascism has prevailed for now. They censored three Venezuelan films. They are afraid of Venezuela’s truth,” said the Bolivarian leader on his weekly television program “Con Maduro+”.
Previously, the Venezuelan Embassy in Madrid had requested a space at Casa de America to present the film series “Cinema and Memory: The Voice of the People and the Struggle for Sovereignty.” Scheduled to run from March 17 to 24, the series included screenings of Operation Orion (2018), Ali Primera (2024), and The Battle of the Bridges (2020).
“They censored the film Ali Primera, and this is not the first time Ali has been persecuted. In fact, he was persecuted many times. However, I am sure that Spanish youth will now be asking themselves who Ali was and what he sang about,” Maduro said, referring to the Venezuelan singer, songwriter, and political activist known as “The People’s Singer.”
Born in 1941, Ali Primera became a key figure in Venezuela’s New Song movement, using his music to advocate for social justice, workers’ rights, and the struggles of the poor. His songs, often critical of political and economic inequalities, made him an icon of leftist movements in Latin America. His influence was so profound that the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez frequently referenced his songs as part of the Bolivarian Revolution’s cultural identity.
Maduro also condemned the censorship of “The Battle of the Bridges,” a documentary that depicts the events surrounding the 2019 U.S.-backed attempt to generate a regime change in Venezuela under the pretext of introducing humanitarian aid through the land border with Colombia.
Through interviews, archival footage, and analysis, this documentary aims to counter the mainstream media narrative that blamed the Venezuelan government for blocking aid, instead highlighting acts of sabotage, misinformation, and external pressure in the crisis.
“Cinema has the power to preserve memory. They are afraid of Venezuelan identity and culture. They are afraid of people knowing the truth about what has happened in this country and what its citizens have fought for over the years,” said Vladimir Sosa, president of the National Cinematheque Foundation, regarding the censorship of Venezuelan cinema in Spain.
The screening of these films was suspended following a public request from Command With Venezuela – España, an organization affiliated with the far-right Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
“In Spain, they cannot see the truth about Venezuela. Now, Venezuela’s truth will be seen even more—fascist censors!” Maduro said in response to the censorship of his country’s films.
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: EFE – teleSUR