End of Year Message
President of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), José Roberto Dutriz, La Prensa Gráfica, El Salvador
Miami (December 27, 2024) – As this year ends, we reflect on the achievements made and renew our commitment to the challenges facing freedom of the press and freedom of expression in the Americas and the sustainability challenges of the media industry. In an increasingly complex landscape, the role of the press as a cornerstone of democracy becomes indispensable.
Despite the serious economic difficulties, the industry's ability to adapt, resist, and evolve in the face of technological, financial, and political challenges reaffirms its role as an essential source of trust and reference, defending the principles of transparency and freedom of expression that are crucial for democracy and social development.
In 2024, we faced systematic violence against journalists, but also threats, assaults, stigmatization, and judicial and financial harassment. Nine colleagues lost their lives in the region, and we continue to demand justice so that their crimes are not left unpunished. This is compounded by severe violations of press freedom in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, where journalism continues to be the target of widespread repression and censorship.
An important event that will mark the start of 2025 will be the formal launch of the Latin American Network of Journalism in Exile (RELPEX, by its Spanish acronym) in San José, Costa Rica, at the end of January. This project, a priority for the IAPA, will assist journalists and media in exile or forced displacement due to persecution, helping them continue their work and promoting the exchange of information about this issue. RELPEX will also support media outlets that have moved their offices due to harassment by authoritarian regimes.
Costa Rica will also host the first international mission of the IAPA in January 2025, which I will lead next year, following visits to Guatemala and Panama at the end of 2024, where the presidents of both countries, Bernardo Arévalo and Raúl Mulino, respectively, signed the Declaration of Chapultepec, reaffirming their commitment to press freedom. Mulino also signed the Declaration of Salta II on Principles of Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age.
We will continue engaging democratic leaders with the principles of press and expression freedom through the Chapultepec and the updated Salta II declarations, aiming to strengthen the guarantees for the free exercise of journalism. These missions will remain a key pillar of our work, fostering constructive dialogue and ensuring institutional support for fundamental rights.
In 2025, we will continue prioritizing key initiatives to strengthen press and expression freedoms. The Journalism in Exile program will expand to include workshops, training, and partnerships to promote the security and sustainability of journalists in vulnerable situations. Additionally, we will strengthen the monitoring and reporting of human rights violations against journalists, maintaining our firm stance against authoritarian regimes and governments that attempt to undermine freedom of expression.
The sustainability of the media industry will be an essential goal. We will deepen our efforts in the digital transformation of media, advancing topics of innovation and artificial intelligence. In 2024, we reformed the Salta Declaration to address the challenges of the digital environment. The Declaration of Salta II addresses the protection of intellectual property, new technological challenges, and the fight against disinformation, reinforcing our determination to safeguard the trust of our audiences. In 2025, we will expand our efforts to work with allies to implement solutions that ensure the financial and editorial viability of the media.
Assisting in the fight against disinformation will be one of the crucial issues for the IAPA in 2025. This phenomenon, which threatens both democracies and the credibility of the media, requires a joint effort from journalists, media, intergovernmental organizations, technology companies, academia, and international organizations. We will work on developing strategies to identify and counter disinformation, promoting media literacy, and strengthening the trust of our audiences.
We will also continue to develop training and educational projects. Together with the Latin American Council for Accreditation of Journalism and Communication Education (CLAEP, by its Spanish acronym), we are planning the launch of the third diploma for active journalists, further solidifying our commitment to professional strengthening in the digital era. Additionally, the renewal of our website will allow more efficient access to our activities and resources, marking a significant advancement in the modernization of the IAPA.
I want to wish all IAPA members, their families, and collaborators a 2025 full of health, peace, and accomplishments. I take this opportunity to deeply thank the IAPA staff and contributors for their willingness, effort, and dedication. Our fight for fundamental freedoms remains crucial to strengthening democracy and fulfilling the collective dreams of the communities we serve.
I thank our partners for their effort and commitment. The IAPA will continue working enthusiastically on an agenda that defends press freedom and promotes the development of our industry. Together, we will continue building resilient journalism committed to truth.
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.
