IAPA Midyear Meeting. April 23 - 24, 2026.
The press freedom environment remains relatively stable, with no signs of widespread restrictions on access to information or systematic government preference toward specific media outlets. However, isolated limitations persist, such as the refusal of the minister of Finance and other public officials to grant interviews or provide information to journalists they do not consider aligned.
The most significant development during the period was the granting of house arrest to journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, president and founder of elPeriódico, who was released from pretrial detention on February 12 after more than three years in custody on alleged charges of money laundering and obstruction of justice, widely viewed as retaliation for his investigative and critical reporting. The measure, ordered by Judge Maximinio Morales, requires Zamora to report to the court every two weeks and remain under travel restrictions while awaiting a new hearing. He spent 1,295 days in pretrial detention pending resolution of his legal situation.
Attacks against journalists persist in digital environments, including threats and harassment, as well as risks of judicial harassment linked to coverage of sensitive issues. In rural areas, access to public information remains limited due to the concentration of power among mayors and local officials, as well as the influence of organized crime networks. This situation has forced some reporters to cover certain areas where they are not known to reduce risks. Organizations such as the Rompe el Miedo network have documented cases of direct harassment by local authorities against provincial journalists.
On January 30, the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) conclusively dismissed a case against journalists and columnists from elPeriódico, ruling that their actions should be assessed by a Tribunal of Honor under the Law on Freedom of Expression, and that critical publications about public officials do not constitute a crime. The decision, issued by the Amparo and Preliminary Proceedings Chamber, rejected an appeal filed by the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity (FECI), which had sought to reopen the case and pursue criminal charges against the journalists over publications related to Zamora’s case.
On February 2, the Public Prosecutor’s Office filed an appeal before the Constitutional Court challenging the CSJ’s ruling.
