This is not a routine moment in the life of our institution. Across the Americas, press freedom is not only under pressure – it is confronting coordinated, evolving, and increasingly sophisticated forms of attack. What were once tactics largely associated with authoritarian systems are now crossing borders, blurring lines, and appearing in places where democratic institutions were once thought secure.
In this environment, the mission of the Inter American Press Association has never been more relevant. Nor has it been more necessary that we confront these trends together.
A Region Under Strain
Across our hemisphere a troubling pattern has emerged.
We are witnessing the normalization of hostility toward the press. Increasingly, political leaders employ aggressive rhetoric that delegitimizes journalism, fuels polarization, and erodes public trust. Words matter. And when those words portray journalists as adversaries rather than essential participants in democracy, they create a climate where intimidation flourishes – and self-censorship follows.
At the same time, we see the rise of judicial harassment and regulatory pressure. Lawsuits, criminal defamation statutes, and administrative mechanisms are being deployed not to uphold justice – but to silence scrutiny. Strategic litigation has become a tool of control, designed to exhaust and intimidate independent voices.
In too many places, violence remains a constant threat. Journalists continue to face attacks, threats, and, tragically, murder – often in environments shaped by organized crime. This violence is sustained by persistent impunity and leads to systemic fear.
We are also confronting growing restrictions on access to information. Governments limit public data, restrict credentials, and manipulate transparency systems – undermining not only journalism, but the public’s fundamental right to know.
Layered atop these pressures is the economic fragility of media. Shrinking revenues, uneven digital transitions, and the discretionary use of state advertising all weaken independent outlets, leaving them vulnerable to influence and decline.
And increasingly, the battleground is digital. Targeted online harassment, surveillance, and disinformation campaigns – too often aimed disproportionately at women journalists – are shaping a new and dangerous frontier for press freedom.
So, throughout our region, though different countries and in different contexts, we find the same underlying threats.
A Moment of Reckoning in the United States
For the first time in modern history, we must also acknowledge a profound shift: The United States is now experiencing systemic pressures on press freedom that mirror patterns long observed in Latin America.
We see an escalation of institutional and political hostility – including lawsuits, public stigmatization, and rhetoric from the highest levels of government that casts journalists as adversaries. This rhetoric is increasingly creating a more dangerous operating environment.
We see concerns about the use of state power and regulatory authority, including actions involving agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission, raising questions about the misuse of state power – directly or indirectly – to influence editorial independence.
We see restrictions on media access as well as retaliatory practices linked to editorial decisions and content.
And we see an alarming increase in violence and arrests, particularly during protest coverage—signaling a deterioration in the safety conditions in which journalists operate.
Why does this unprecedented moment in the United States matter?
Because when press freedom weakens in the United States, it sends a signal across the hemisphere, emboldening governments elsewhere to do the same.
But herein also lies an opportunity for us as an association. The resilience, courage, and experience of journalists across Latin America – who have navigated these challenges for decades – can now serve as a source of strength and guidance. The exchange of those experiences is no longer theoretical. It is essential.
Advocacy That Makes a Difference
In moments like this, our tools matter.
Advocacy missions remain among the most powerful instruments we have. They open dialogue, elevate visibility, and create accountability and committment.
Our recent mission to Uruguay stands as a model of what is possible.
We were encouraged by the engagement of President Yamandú Orsi, whose signing of the Chapultepec and Salta II Declarations reflects a clear and meaningful institutional commitment to press freedom. It is a reminder that democratic leadership, grounded in respect and openness, can produce tangible progress.
This experience shows us something important: engagement – not just confrontation –can move us forward.
And it challenges us to ask to replicate this model across the hemisphere, especially where hostility toward the press has become normalized.
Confronting Impunity
If there is one threat that above all demands our unwavering attention, it is impunity.
More than 90 percent of murders of journalists in the Americas remain unresolved. This is not merely a statistic – it is a systemic failure.
Today, we announce that IAPA will reactivate its Rapid Response Unit, with the support of the UNESCO Global Media Defense Fund.
This unit will investigate emblematic cases of murdered journalists, reopen inquiries, and work through rigorous journalism and legal coordination to pursue justice. It will support families. It will seek reparations. And it will apply strategic litigation and international pressure where it is needed most.
Each case will serve as a trigger – generating evidence, activating legal processes, exposing patterns, and pushing for reform.
Because impunity is not inevitable. It is the result of inaction.
And when there is visibility – when there is coordination, when there is sustained pressure – states do respond.
Building a Sustainable Future
Press freedom cannot exist without sustainable media.
That is why IAPA continues to prioritize innovation and resilience. Our AI Product Lab has demonstrated what is possible – supporting transformation, strengthening capacity, and helping media organizations adapt to a rapidly changing landscape.
As this phase concludes, we are working closely with the Google News Initiative to launch a renewed effort – one that will deepen our commitment to sustainability, innovation, and the future of journalism in the Americas.
A Call to Unity
Across the hemisphere, the pattern is unmistakable.
Different nations. Different systems. But the same underlying threats.
And so our response must be equally clear:
- Stronger coordination.
- Deeper solidarity.
- More decisive action.
The mission of the Inter American Press Association has not changed. But the urgency has.
We are called to defend press freedom wherever it is threatened – without hesitation, without exception.
Because in the end, the principle that unites us is simple, and it is non-negotiable:
An attack on journalism anywhere in the Americas is an attack on democracy everywhere."
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.
