Rory Branker, a Venezuelan journalist and editor at La Patilla, was arrested on February 20, 2025, by intelligence agents, who also confiscated his laptops and phones. He was held incommunicado for over 200 days before being located at a Caracas police station in September 2025. On December 8, 2025, he was transferred to an undisclosed location and again went missing. His detention has been characterized as arbitrary, with denial of judicial guarantees and access to legal counsel. He was released in early 2026.