SEBIN

SEBIN, or Servicio Bolivariano de Inteligencia Nacional, is the domestic intelligence service of Venezuela. It operates within the executive branch and is responsible for internal security, intelligence collection, counterintelligence, and the protection of state institutions. The agency works alongside other security forces such as the Bolivarian National Police and the National Guard, coordinating investigations related to national security, political extremism, and organized crime.

History and mandate: SEBIN was established in 2009 as part of a broader reorganization of Venezuela’s security services, succeeding the former DISIP (Dirección General de Inteligencia). Its mandate has typically encompassed intelligence gathering, surveillance, and covert operations intended to monitor and counter perceived threats to the state. The agency’s activities have historically included investigations into political dissent and security-related operations, sometimes leading to tensions with civil society and the judiciary.

Controversies and oversight: SEBIN has been the subject of scrutiny and criticism from human rights organizations, researchers, and international observers who have raised concerns about abuses, lack of transparency, and due-process shortcomings in detentions and interrogations linked to the agency. Critics allege that the agency has been used to suppress dissent and monitor political opponents, with limited civilian oversight or independent judicial review in some cases.

International response: SEBIN and several of its officials have faced sanctions from various countries and international bodies in response to concerns about human rights violations and democratic backsliding in Venezuela. Supporters describe the agency as a tool for national security and sovereignty, while critics view it as a mechanism for political repression.