In a series of unprecedented events in the 'Switzerland of Central America,' Rodrigo Chaves uses authoritarian rhetoric and the state apparatus to persecute independent media. Defenders of free speech and journalists believe democracy will survive, but see risks of violence.
Faced with an increase in violence against the press in Latin America, two South American journalists are promoting a Model Law for the protection of journalists that could be applied worldwide. Chile is the country that has made the most progress in this regard. Paraguay, Mexico and Brazil follow.
Despite being under attack, journalism in Latin America continues to be recognized through the various awards that are held annually. LatAm Journalism Review (LJR) selected the most important awards to be granted during 2023, with information on nominations, categories, requirements, and award ceremonies.
In view of the advance of organized crime over Paraguayan institutions and the almost total impunity in the cases of murdered journalists, freedom of expression organizations in that country will present in April a bill that contemplates the creation of individual, collective and psychosocial protection mechanisms for members of the press.
The 16th Ibero-American Colloquium on Digital Journalism will take place following the ISOJ on Sunday, April 16, 2023. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (U.S. Central Time) at UT Austin. The colloquium, which is held in Spanish, is free, but registration is required. So sign up today to attend in person or virtually.
Brazilian researchers analyzed news headlines about false statements by Jair Bolsonaro on COVID-19 in 2020, and in 60% of the cases the then-president's lines were just reproduced, without contextualization or correction. Researcher Marilia Gehrke spoke to LatAm Journalism Review (LJR) about how this practice contributes to misinformation and undermines journalism’s credibility.
A gender-based approach and intersectionality in news coverage requires a commitment to turn on a switch that changes one’s mentality and makes it something natural and not imposed, said experts in the panel "A gender-based approach and how to achieve intersectional coverage."
Authors of the investigation "Ejército Espía [Spy Army]" do not rule out going to international mechanisms to bring justice to victims of the Pegasus spyware in Mexico, after revealing that the spying on journalists and activists in that country comes from a secret military intelligence center and that the Secretary of Defense had knowledge of it.
The report “Women and Leadership in the News Media 2023: Evidence from 12 markets” shows that only 22% of senior positions in the media analyzed are held by women. This figure drops considerably in the Latin American market, with only 5% in Mexico and 13% in Brazil.
Juan Lorenzo Holmann, former general manager of the newspaper La Prensa, is convinced that the newspaper, which is under siege by Daniel Ortega's regime, will rise up as it has done at other times in its history. He also hopes to be reunited with his wife in Nicaragua, from where he was deported to the United States along with more than 200 political prisoners.
Journalist Hélio Doyle has been appointed to lead the reconstruction of Brazil’s Public Communication Company (EBC, by its Portuguese acronym) after six years of neglect and censorship under the governments of Michel Temer and Jair Bolsonaro. Doyle spoke about how journalism will be "a flagship" in public communication made by the state-owned company.
The Network of Venezuelan Women Journalists held its first conference with the goal of discussing feminist journalism and a gender-based approach. However, during the three days of the event, topics such as Indigenous struggles, climate crisis, mental health, humanitarian emergency, human trafficking and sexual and reproductive rights were also discussed.