On mid-May, the president of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), Diosdado Cabello, publicly threatened scientists from the Academy of Physical Mathematical and Natural Sciences of Venezuela, whom he accused of stoking alarm in the population. The statements came in response to the publication of a report which used mathematical models to suggest that official figures could be underreporting infections at a rate of between 63% and 95%. Cabello warned the report was “an invitation for the state securities to call [the scientists].” The issue presents a fresh obstacle in Venezuela for freedom of investigation and disclosure of information. Previously, scientific institutions had been required by a joint resolution of the Ministries of Health and Science to register any investigations into COVID-19 with both institutions. The criminalization of medical personnel, organizations and journalists for disseminating technical information on the evolution of COVID-19 contrary to official data has been condemned by numerous resolución conjunta de los Ministerios de Salud y de Ciencia a registrar cualquier investigación sobre el COVID-19 ante ambas carteras. La criminalización del personal médico, las organizaciones y los periodistas por difundir información técnica sobre la evolución del COVID-19 que interpela los datos oficiales ha sido condenada por numerosas academic and civil society organizations and by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.