With six months remaining in President Luis Arce's government, the scheme of financial suffocation and obstruction of journalistic work for independent media, which began during former President Evo Morales' administration, has continued.
With six months remaining in President Luis Arce's government, the scheme of financial suffocation and obstruction of journalistic work for independent media, which began during former President Evo Morales' administration, has continued.
The ideological discourse against media and journalists is expressed in stigmatizing slogans, labeling them as "sold-out press" and "cartels of lies." This discourse, employed by both government supporters and opponents, generates verbal assaults and physical violence with greater severity in rural areas of the country.
As a result of financial suffocation, the production costs of newspapers have risen, journalistic companies have implemented spending cuts, and they have taken on obligations with banks in a desperate attempt to continue their mission. These policies have affected several media outlets. The independent newspaper Página Siete recently ceased its activities; La Prensa closed in 2016 and reopened in 2024, while El Día stopped its print editions in 2020 to continue only digitally. The newspaper La Razón also suspended printing its print edition on August 31, 2024, attributing the measure to the "current economic crisis" and the lack of dollars to import supplies. It continues its journalistic work in digital format.
The restrictions have four scenarios: exclusion from state advertising, tax persecution, and discourse against the work of the free press, which in turn transforms into violence. Media outlets maintaining independent editorial lines are excluded from national, regional, and local state advertising.
Government-controlled service companies also apply restrictions and favor audiovisual media with some affinity to official policies with advertising. In the tax sphere, newspapers receive visits from inspectors, permanent audits, and economic sanctions for minor administrative offenses. These actions are aimed at media that oversee the powers of the state. Simultaneously, the tax administration intimidates private advertisers with tax threats if they advertise in independent newspapers.
Between 2010 and 2019, newspapers were obliged to publish social interest campaigns for free despite the Constitution prohibiting the provision of services without fair remuneration. The Constitution also forced newspapers to use between seven and nine pages for government advertisements, which was considered a forced tribute that generated millions in losses for the media. The National Press Association (ANP) maintained a permanent complaint about this arbitrariness and achieved its repeal in July 2019.
Other vital cases against press freedom:
During the roadblocks organized by followers of former President Morales between October and November 2024, journalists were assaulted with punches and stones while covering clashes between protesters and police.
On October 29, 2024, three press envoys to the town of Mariana (Santa Cruz) were held captive for four and a half hours, tortured, and threatened with being burned alive, along with about 15 police officers captured by the protesters.
On Friday, November 1, 2024, photojournalist Jorge Abrego was attacked with dynamite by roadblockers in the Parotani region, Cochabamba, causing a heart attack that required surgery to save his life.
On January 13, 2025, a cameraman was injured by fireworks launched by followers of former President Morales in La Paz, while other reporters suffered verbal assaults at the end of a march organized to support the former president's candidacy.
In the city of Cochabamba, on Monday, January 13, a cameraman from the state television channel Bolivia TV was assaulted by followers of former President Morales, causing chest injuries.
On February 15, Maggy Talavera, president of the Santa Cruz Journalists Association, and seven journalists were summoned to testify in an investigation into terrorism against a councilor accused of organizing roadblocks in the town of Mariana in the department of Santa Cruz.
The ANP expressed concern about the harassment of journalist Silvana Vincenti, from the newspaper El Deber, who in March denounced the "perpetual lease" of large tracts of indigenous lands to a religious group called the United States of Kailasa. This organization threatened legal action against journalists and other media if they did not withdraw their publications.
