Bogotá, October 25, 2026
Bogotá, October 25, 2026
Violence against journalists once again shook press freedom across the Americas during the past six months. According to the reports presented, two journalists were murdered in Colombia, three in Mexico, two in Guatemala, one in Peru, and one in Haiti. In the latter country, journalist Wesly Renaud Jean has been missing since September 12.
Alongside physical violence against journalists, hostile rhetoric toward the press has emerged from those in power. In Argentina, official disparagement of journalists persists, and the government introduced a bill that would impose prison sentences for “mass disinformation” and “manipulation of public opinion,” using terms that are dangerously ambiguous.
Additionally, 12 journalists and media workers died tragically in Venezuela as a result of earthquakes in June, while other journalists and media workers were affected by seismic events in Colombia in August and in Panama in October.
In Colombia, political sectors continued to stigmatize journalists, while in Costa Rica, independent media continued to face criticism and restrictions on access to public information.
In the United States, the exclusion of media outlets from official events, restrictions at the Pentagon, and pressure on confidential sources raised concerns.
Judicial and regulatory harassment is becoming another entrenched mechanism of pressure. In Brazil, court rulings affected source confidentiality and ordered the removal of publications. Within four weeks, 7,030 digital attacks against journalists were recorded, particularly targeting women. In Panama, defamation and libel lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages persisted. In Peru, lawsuits, restrictions, and the so-called right to be forgotten remain a source of concern. Pressure was also reported in Paraguay, along with restrictions on information in Canada and Puerto Rico.
In the most repressive environments, the consequences are even more severe. Cuba intensified arrests and criminal proceedings against independent journalists, including Henry Constantín, IAPA’s regional vice president for Cuba, who has been unjustly imprisoned since September 16.
In Nicaragua, more than 300 journalists and media workers have gone into exile since 2018; eleven departments are considered news blackouts zones, and printed newspapers are no longer in circulation. In El Salvador, at least 210 attacks against the press were recorded between January and mid-July, and at least 40 journalists were forced into exile. In Venezuela, despite releases of detainees and a partial lifting of internet blocks, digital censorship and systems of information control remain in place.
Economic hardship also threatens communities’ right to be informed. In Bolivia, the newspaper Opinión suspended its print edition after 41 years, while Correo del Sur faces legal proceedings that threaten its continued operation. In Puerto Rico, El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora ceased print publication. Job losses and pressure through government advertising continue to recur.
Artificial intelligence presents new challenges and opportunities for journalism, and the lack of an adequate compensation system for the use of journalistic content remains a concern.
Despite this adverse landscape, some progress was made. In Colombia, the Attorney General’s Office prioritized investigations into crimes against journalists, and a Constitutional Court ruling protected women journalists against stigmatizing statements. In Chile, a conviction was handed down for the illegal interception of journalist Mauricio Weibel’s communications. In the Dominican Republic, the Constitutional Court upheld the preservation of information of public interest in digital archives.
These developments serve as a reminder that defending press freedom requires active institutions, effective safeguards, and a society committed to protecting citizens’ right to be informed.
