"I am afraid to talk to you," retired biologist Jaime Requena told Nature as he nervously prepared to leave the country, fearing that his passport would be confiscated by authorities to prevent his departure. "Science here is going down the drain quickly."
Researchers in Venezuela are increasingly considering leaving the country, apprehensive about the current political climate and fearing that their work will be further curtailed by the government.
Scientists, some of whom spoke to Nature on the condition of anonymity because they fear retribution from the government, say that Venezuelan research was already censored and underfunded before the election.
The Maduro administration's crackdown on political opposition has resulted in the detention of over 1,600 individuals, contributing to an environment where scientific research is severely threatened.
Collection
[
|
...
]