WHEREAS the expulsion and forced displacement of journalists continue to be used by those in power and criminal groups to prevent investigations, evade accountability, and silence critical voices, violating societies’ right to receive independent information, creating news deserts, and severely affecting the lives of journalists and their families
WHEREAS, the Latin American Network of Journalism in Exile (RELPEX), established by the IAPA in 2024 to support journalists facing exile, displacement, or forced migration, reached a membership of 467 journalists from at least 18 countries in the region in 2026, consolidating its position as one of the leading initiatives supporting displaced journalism in the Americas
WHEREAS, information gathered by RELPEX shows that journalistic exile is no longer an exceptional or temporary phenomenon but has become a structural reality affecting hundreds of journalists and media outlets in Latin America, particularly in contexts of political persecution, censorship, the criminalization of the press, and the weakening of the rule of law
WHEREAS, Nicaragua continues to be one of the region’s most serious cases, with more than 300 journalists forced into exile since 2018, dozens of media outlets shut down, and numerous newsrooms continuing to operate from abroad because of persecution targeting independent journalism;
WHEREAS, RELPEX and other press freedom organizations have documented an increase in cases of forced displacement and migration involving journalists from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, and Peru, demonstrating the regional expansion of this phenomenon beyond countries traditionally associated with journalistic exile
WHEREAS many exiled journalists face obstacles to regularizing their immigration status, finding employment, rebuilding their professional networks, and achieving economic sustainability, while media outlets operating from exile face financial difficulties that threaten the continuation of their operations
WHEREAS employment programs, legal assistance, psychosocial support, professional development, and journalistic production initiatives developed by RELPEX and other organizations are essential tools to help displaced journalists continue practicing their profession and sustain the production of independent information
WHEREAS the Declaration of Chapultepec states in its Fourth Principle that pressure, intimidation, the unjust imprisonment of journalists, the physical destruction of media outlets, violence of any kind, and the impunity enjoyed by aggressors severely restrict freedom of expression and of the press, and establishes in its Tenth Principle that no media outlet or journalist should be sanctioned for reporting the truth or criticizing or denouncing those in public office.
THE 82nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES
To reaffirm that the exile and forced displacement of journalists constitute serious violations of press freedom and a direct threat to societies’ right to receive independent, pluralistic, and public-interest information
To urge states throughout the region to guarantee effective protection mechanisms for journalists at risk, including expedited asylum and refuge procedures, immigration status regularization, and work authorizations that facilitate their integration into host countries
To urge international organizations, cooperation agencies, and civil society organizations to strengthen support programs for displaced journalists and media outlets operating from exile, particularly in employment opportunities, legal assistance, protection, mental health, sustainability, and professional development
To recognize the work of media outlets that continue operating from exile and of journalists who, despite the threats and adversity they face, remain committed to freedom of expression, access to information, and accountability
To promote regional cooperation mechanisms that facilitate the professional integration of exiled journalists, the exchange of employment opportunities, the development of professional networks, and the sustainability of journalistic projects operating outside their countries of origin
To call on multilateral organizations, including the Organization of American States (OAS), United Nations (UN) agencies, and other international bodies, to incorporate the exile and forced displacement of journalists into their strategies to promote democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression
To support the strengthening and expansion of regional initiatives such as RELPEX, which seek to ensure that exile does not become a means of silencing journalists and that forced displacement does not interrupt independent journalistic work in the Americas.
