The exercise of press freedom takes place in a highly vulnerable environment marked by organized crime violence, the limited capacity of state protection mechanisms, and various institutional pressures and restrictions. While access to public information remains generally stable, the independent practice of journalism faces significant obstacles affecting journalists’ safety, effective coverage of sensitive issues, and media sustainability.
Violence by criminal groups constitutes one of the main mechanisms of pressure against journalists. This situation has forced nearly a dozen reporters to leave the country and has led at least one journalist to permanently leave the news profession, as well as to the abandonment of investigations of public interest due to security concerns and political pressure. The contraction of independent coverage has also contributed to the emergence of “news deserts,” or areas with little or no news coverage, particularly in small local markets that lack established media outlets.
Despite the formal existence of a State Protection Mechanism for journalists, its operation remains limited due to a lack of funding, which has affected its operational capacity. This is compounded by persistently high levels of impunity for attacks and crimes against media workers. Judicial progress continues to be isolated, including the proceedings related to the murder of politician and journalist Fernando Villavicencio, which occurred on August 9, 2023.
The physical safety of media workers is also affected by attacks and acts of harassment attributed to both state actors and criminal groups. Alleged perpetrators include members of the National Police and other security forces, public officials, and municipal agents. Smear campaigns, threats, and online harassment against journalists also persist, although without a significant increase compared with previous periods. Violence, combined with job insecurity and economic instability, has contributed to increased self-censorship.
A relevant case involved journalist Hernán Higuera of Ecuavisa, who on June 19 announced his decision to step away from an investigation into the so-called Progen case after reporting pressure from state institutions against his wife and son. According to the allegations, his wife was dismissed from a state-owned company, and his son was suspended from the position he held as a medical student at a social security hospital. Ecuavisa also warned of retaliation following its coverage of the case, which concerns alleged irregularities in contracts signed during the 2024 energy crisis.
At the institutional level, practices have been reported that affect journalists’ access to official sources and venues. In February, the Joint Command of the Armed Forces approved internal regulations establishing screening and accreditation mechanisms for journalists authorized to cover military events. Government officials have also declined interview invitations from Ecuavisa for at least six months. The concentration of official government spokespersons in Quito also creates geographic barriers for journalists based in other provinces.
The newspaper Expreso denounced a state harassment strategy involving the use of regulatory agencies. During the previous period, other forms of indirect censorship linked to pressure over commercial advertising had been reported, resulting in the departure of journalist Eduardo Andino from Radio Redonda and Radio Canela, as well as administrative intervention by the Superintendency of Companies against GRANASA, the publisher of Expreso and Extra. IAPA has warned that “control over independent companies cannot, under any circumstances, become an indirect mechanism of censorship or editorial pressure.”
Concern was also raised by a ruling issued in late April by the First Civil Chamber of the Provincial Court of Justice of Guayas, ordering Fundamedios to remove from its website an alert about journalist safety published in 2025. The decision stemmed from a habeas data action filed by businessman Pedro Julio Bejarano Alvarado. IAPA, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the Voces del Sur Network criticized the ruling, stating that it could affect freedom of expression, access to information, and the work of organizations that document attacks and restrictions against journalists.
On October 13, 2026, Fundamedios reported that it had complied with the ruling under protest and with an express reservation of rights, citing the risk of further legal proceedings, including potential criminal consequences for its executive leadership. The organization warned that the ambiguity of certain provisions could restrict future communications on matters of public interest and have a chilling effect on its monitoring and reporting activities. Fundamedios also filed an extraordinary action for constitutional protection before Ecuador’s Constitutional Court and requested precautionary measures from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), arguing that the ruling violates international standards on freedom of expression and the protection of human rights organizations.
Access to institutional sources and the flow of public information have also faced restrictions resulting from discretionary administrative decisions. Taken together, these restrictions, combined with criminal violence, the lack of effective protection, impunity, and the economic precariousness of media outlets, have reduced the capacity for independent coverage, particularly outside the main urban centers, and expanded areas with limited or no news coverage.
