In the iron grip of a dictatorship like the one formally declared after July 28th, one of the most humble creations of the digital era, known as the QR code, a symbol of modern convenience, is on the path to becoming a sinister tool of oppression, enslaving citizens in my country, Venezuela with a spiderweb of surveillance and control.

Control mechanisms

Here is a summary of the control mechanisms that have been identified in Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship.

Institutional Control and Power Imbalance: There is a power imbalance without a clear separation of powers. State institutions and bodies respond to the guidelines of the national executive and support its social control policies.

Repression and Terror: The regime (as the world should know by now) is using repression, violence, and terror as tools to maintain control, especially in the face of declining popular support and allegations of electoral fraud. Arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, torture, and other serious human rights violations have been documented.
Cooptation of Institutions: The cooptation of all branches of government has been observed to maintain control of the state, regardless of the popular will expressed in elections. This is to keep under control the people in the most populated regions, or the areas they need to control, to avoid interruptions of their illegal activities.

Strategic Alliances: Maduro has strengthened alliances with nations such as Cuba, Russia, Iran, and China, which contribute to further repressing the Venezuelan people: . The role of the Cuban security apparatus is specifically mentioned.

Restriction of Political Participation: It is alleged that the opposition to the regime would have been much higher if the approximately 8 million Venezuelans who have left the country in recent years could vote on July 28th, 2024.

Economic Control: While not detailed in the provided results, control over the economy and the distribution of resources is also a common control mechanism of authoritarian regimes.
Creation of Maximum Security Institutions: The creation of "maximum security" prisons intended to "re-educate" political opponents was announced.

Maduro's despotic regime employs a combination of institutional control, repression, international alliances, and political restrictions to maintain power in Venezuela, stomping over the citizens, to keep stealing resources and narcotics trafficking.