Miami (April 4, 2026) – An international delegation from the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) is traveling to Montevideo, Uruguay, as part of an official visit during which President Yamandú Orsi will sign the Chapultepec and Salta II Declarations, thereby reaffirming the fundamental principles of freedom of expression and of the press in the country.
In this context, the delegation will hold a working meeting with the president to analyze issues related to the practice of journalism in Uruguay. The signing of both IAPA declarations of principles, in a ceremony to be held on Monday, April 6 at the presidential headquarters, constitutes a clear institutional signal of the Uruguayan government’s commitment to the defense and promotion of freedom of expression and of the press.
The IAPA mission is composed of the organization’s First Vice President, Carlos Jornet (La Voz del Interior, Argentina); former president and current Second Vice President, Michael Greenspon (The New York Times, United States); Chair of the Executive Committee, Gabriela Vivanco (La Hora, Ecuador); Co-Chair of the Legal Commission, Martín Etchevers (Clarín, Argentina); member of the Advisory Council and former president, Danilo Arbilla; and Executive Director, Carlos Lauría.
During their stay, the delegation will also hold meetings with Attorney General Mónica Ferrero, as well as with journalists and media executives.
The Chapultepec Declaration, adopted in 1994, promotes public and individual freedoms as the “driving force and starting point of the basic rights of human beings.” It has been signed by numerous presidents and leaders throughout the Americas since its adoption. The Salta II Declaration on Principles of Freedom of Expression in the Digital Era, updated in 2024, promotes public and individual freedoms in the context of new information and communication technologies.
The most recent IAPA report on Uruguay, presented last October, noted that although no serious violations of press freedom have been recorded, concerns remain regarding “isolated actions by judges and prosecutors that affect the free exercise of journalistic activity.”
Likewise, the 2025 Chapultepec Index placed Uruguay in the category of “low restriction” on freedoms of expression and of the press, rising from sixth to fifth place among 23 countries evaluated. However, the report warned of certain signs of deterioration in the environment for journalism, linked to stigmatizing rhetoric from political power and limitations on access to information.
The conclusions of this mission will be presented during the IAPA virtual meeting scheduled for April 23 and 24, where the IAPA will assess the state of press freedom in the Americas.
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It comprises more than 1,300 publications from the western hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.