Miami (May 27, 2025) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) strongly condemns the recent offensive by the Honduran Armed Forces against independent journalists and media outlets. The May 26 publication in the official outlet FF.AA. Digital, which labels prominent journalists as "hitmen of the truth," represents a serious attack on press freedom and an unacceptable attempt to intimidate critical journalism.
Issue No. 119 of FF.AA. Digital, the official publication of the Honduran Armed Forces, featured a front-page article titled “Hitmen of the Truth”, accompanied by photos of three well-known journalists:
The article accuses the journalists of being enemies of the state without presenting any evidence, as part of a clear smear campaign intended to intimidate and criminalize the practice of journalism.
This attack follows recent criticism by Dagoberto Rodríguez during the Álvaro Contreras Award ceremony, where he denounced irregularities in the Armed Forces' role during the March 9 internal and primary elections. Among the irregularities mentioned was the delayed delivery of ballot boxes in polling stations in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula—a responsibility that falls to the Armed Forces.
The Honduran College of Journalists (CPH) strongly condemned the publication, calling it inadmissible and unconstitutional. The CPH held the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Roosevelt Hernández, and Defense Minister Rixi Moncada directly responsible for any attacks, harassment, or harm suffered by the journalists mentioned.
IAPA President José Roberto Dutriz, CEO and Director of La Prensa Gráfica in El Salvador, stated: “Judicial harassment and public stigmatization have become systematic weapons to try to silence journalism, especially when corruption and abuses of power are exposed.”
Martha Ramos, Editorial Director of the Mexican Editorial Organization (OEM) and Chair of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, added: “This is not just an affront to three journalists, but a dangerous message to all critical media in the country. When the Armed Forces use their communication apparatus to intimidate, they are overstepping the limits they must respect in a democracy, and such conduct must not be normalized.”
Last February, in an unprecedented attack on press freedom, the military high command pursued legal action to compel 12 media outlets to reveal their sources—an act the IAPA deemed a violation of fundamental journalistic principles and constitutional and international rights that protect information confidentiality.
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.