Venezuela VPN Access at Risk for Elections – Here’s How to Get Around It

As the people of Venezuela prepare to vote on Sunday, July 28, 2024, access to the best VPN services appears to be at risk.

Some Proton VPN users, one of the most popular VPNs in the country according to the provider, have already experienced issues using the VPN apps. See the tweet below.

According to the company, this could mean that local internet service providers (ISPs) have started blocking virtual private networks (VPNs).

This is especially important when you consider that in a country like Venezuela, where internet freedom “remains precarious,” as experts in the field of Freedom House notedVPNs are an indispensable tool for bypassing geo-restrictions and accessing information on such an important day.

A VPN, short for virtual private network, is a security software that encrypts internet connections to increase online privacy while spoofing your real IP address. This latter feature is precisely why people use these services to reliably access news outlets, social media platforms, and other services when they are hit by restrictions.

This is also why Proton launched a free VPN network of dedicated anti-censorship servers in Venezuela a week before and after the presidential election as part of its election support initiative.

As David Peterson, General Manager at Proton VPN, confirmed, the move led to a 3,000% spike from already high base levels. “However, Venezuelan authorities are trying to clamp down on the use of VPNs,” he added.

Having trouble using your VPN app? Here are some tips:

Whether Venezuelan authorities will restrict VPN access next Sunday is hard to say. What is crucial, however, is to learn how to bypass potential blocks in advance.

That’s why Proton VPN shared some tips on how to continue downloading and using your VPN apps despite restrictions. You can also apply some of these tricks to access other VPN services.

If you are having trouble downloading the VPN app from the website, the team suggests search for the applications directly in the AppStore or Google Play Store when using a mobile device. On desktop you can download the VPN via the GitHub platform by clicking the “Code” button.

The habits Tor Browser When registering for and logging into the VPN app can help bypass restrictions. However, it’s worth noting that Tor routes your connection through at least three layers of encryption, so it may slow down your connection.

When using Proton VPN you must: use the Stealth protocol, also, because it is designed to evade government-imposed censorship. For the same reason, the team suggests enabling the “Alternative routing” option can be found on the Settings tab.

While you may be looking for third-party sources to download VPN apps, be wary of fake VPN applicationsI recommend checking for spelling mistakes and files and URLs on websites such as this before you click on it.

“Venezuelan ISPs also appear to want to block the Proton VPN website,” Peterson told me. “So we advise citizens to download a VPN in advance, should internet censorship in the country become even stricter.”