The head of state thus reaffirms his commitment to defending and promoting freedom of expression and of the press.
Carlos Jornet, First Vice President of the IAPA and Yamandú Orsi, President of Uruguay.
Courtesy of the Presidency of Uruguay.Montevideo (April 6, 2026) – The President of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, today signed the two declarations of principles of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), Chapultepec and Salta II, during an official ceremony at the Executive Tower, seat of the Executive Branch. Orsi was accompanied by an international delegation from the organization, which is visiting the city this week to analyze issues related to the practice of journalism in the country.
Representing the entity that brings together more than 1,300 media outlets across the continent, its First Vice President, Carlos Jornet, director of La Voz del Interior (Córdoba, Argentina), spoke first.
After noting that Uruguay was one of the first countries in the hemisphere to adhere to the Declaration of Chapultepec in 1994, and that Orsi is the first head of state from his country and from the entire Southern Cone to sign the Declaration of Salta II, Jornet stated on behalf of the IAPA: “This gesture also represents a clear demonstration of the spirit of coexistence that characterizes Uruguay. A country where ideological differences certainly exist, but do not prevent dialogue and the search for essential consensus.”
Jornet added that, despite signs of incipient deterioration in recent years, Uruguay “continues to be a country classified as having low restrictions on freedom of expression and of the press.”
He further stated: “We hope that this gesture that honors you, President Orsi, will become a lasting hallmark of your administration, and also serve as a signal to those who govern at all levels, so that Uruguay continues to be a place where dissent is accepted and valued, but where efforts are made to build consensus; where differences are not silenced, but common ground is sought through constructive dialogue.”
The IAPA First Vice President also urged that “respect be valued, that it continues to be defended as a hallmark of national identity, and that the global wave that resorts to insults, personal attacks, and the spread of disinformation as tools of political contest be kept at bay.”
For his part, after signing the declarations, Orsi emphasized that “as President of Uruguay, it is a great honor and an enormous responsibility to add these signatures” to the declarations promoted by the IAPA.
“Believe me, we are not doing this as a mere symbolic gesture: we do it because Uruguay as a country—its society, its media, its journalists, and its political representatives—firmly believe in and defend the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press.”
The president added that “we understand this as an unquestionable guarantee for the very existence of a democratic society.” Orsi stated that “countries are not refounded every five years. As nations, we are stronger and more reliable when we commit to positive accumulation in all areas.”
He noted that in 2025, when celebrating 40 years since the return to democracy, “all presidents agreed to highlight that what unites us is respect for fundamental freedoms, and that public debate must not become a space for spreading personal attacks, deliberate falsehoods, or discrediting those who think differently.”
Prior to the signing of the declarations, President Orsi, Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin, and the IAPA delegation held a meeting to analyze the state of press freedom in Uruguay and across the Americas.
In addition to Jornet, the IAPA mission includes former president and current Second Vice President Michael Greenspon (The New York Times, United States); Chair of the Executive Committee Gabriela Vivanco (La Hora, Ecuador); Co-Chair of the Legal Committee Martín Etchevers (Clarín, Argentina); member of the Advisory Council and former president Danilo Arbilla; and Executive Director Carlos Lauría.
During their stay, the delegation will also meet with Attorney General Mónica Ferrero, as well as with journalists and media executives.
The Declaration of Chapultepec, adopted in 1994, promotes public and individual freedoms as the “driving force and starting point of the fundamental rights of human beings.” It has been signed by numerous presidents and leaders across the Americas since its inception. The Declaration of Salta II on Principles of Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age, updated in 2024, promotes public and individual freedoms in the context of new information and communication technologies.
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.