Narratives rescue the human side of the exodus of Latin American journalism.
Miami (June 3, 2025) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) and DW Akademie announce the launch of “Narrating the Exile”, a series of journalistic pieces that give voice and face to those who have been forced to flee their countries in Latin America due to political persecution, state repression, and threats from organized crime.
Journalists, human rights defenders, activists, justice officials, and members of civil society have been forced into exile to safeguard their lives and those of their families. “Narrating the Exile” documents this human drama through deeply personal and moving narratives.
The series was produced by nine Latin American journalists as part of the “Narrating the Exile” Media Dialogue held in December 2024, supported by DW Akademie and coordinated by the Latin American Network of Journalism in Exile (RELPEX). This network, promoted by the IAPA, supports journalists in exile, in transit, or under forced displacement, ensuring they can continue practicing their profession despite adversity.
The stories reflect the wide range of experiences of forced displacement: from elderly individuals and Indigenous communities to artists and young activists whose lives have been uprooted from their homelands and surroundings.
The series will be published in La Prensa of Nicaragua, in IAPA’s digital magazine Hora de Cierre, and on the Hannah Arendt Initiative website, where the project “Narrating the Exile” is developed with funding from the German Federal Foreign Office.
All content will be available for republication by other media outlets, provided appropriate credit is given.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 23 million people in Latin America are currently in a situation of refuge, displacement, or statelessness due to political or ideological reasons. This alarming figure reveals a human rights crisis that, unlike economic migration, has received less visibility and coverage in regional journalism.
With the launch of this series, the IAPA and RELPEX reaffirm their commitment to freedom of expression and to journalism as a tool for exposing injustice, preserving memory, and supporting those who, even in exile, continue to pursue the truth.
For more information, please contact Mariana Belloso, RELPEX coordinator, at [email protected].
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.