Venezuela is canceling the passports of dozens of journalists and activists, FT reports

Venezuela has canceled the passports of dozens of journalists and activists since President Nicolas Maduro won a re-election victory. Human rights groups say it is part of a growing repression campaign against the authoritarian president’s opponents Financial Times reported on Saturday.

The passports of at least 40 people, mostly journalists and human rights activists, were canceled without explanation, the newspaper reported, citing Caracas-based human rights group Laboratorio de Paz.

The group warned that the number of people whose passports have been canceled is likely to be much higher due to Venezuelans’ fear of reporting cases FT said.

Laboratorio de Paz could not immediately be reached for the report.

People’s passports were confiscated by authorities as they tried to board flights from the country’s main airport, the newspaper reported, citing the human rights group.

Unlike murder or torture, which have higher political costs, the government has found that canceling passports is an effective way to neutralize and mute critical voices with minimal effort, the newspaper reported, citing Rafael Uzcátegui, Co- Director of the Human Rights Group.

The report comes after Maduro was declared the winner of the South American country’s disputed vote in July by electoral and judicial authorities, a claim rejected as false by the opposition.