Silvia A. Higuera Flórez is a Colombian journalist who has written for the Knight Center since 2012. She is interested in covering Latin American issues and human rights, especially the right to freedom of expression, and investigative journalism. She studied Social Communication and Journalism at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Bucaramanga (Colombia), and received her Master's of Arts in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin in 2015. She worked with the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) under the Orlando Sierra fellowship during 2014. She also worked for the Colombian newspaper Vanguardia Liberal and wrote for different magazines about local, economic and public order issues. Her work has also appeared in The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald of Miami. Email: silvia.knightcenter@gmail.com
Silvia A. Higuera Flórez es una periodista colombiana que trabaja para el Centro Knight desde el 2012. Su interés periodístico es América Latina y los derechos humanos, particularmente el derecho a la libertad de expresión, así como el periodismo de investigación. Estudió Comunicación Social – Periodismo en la Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana de Bucaramanga (Colombia), y recibió su maestría en Periodismo en la Universidad de Texas, en Austin en 2015. Trabajó para la Relatoría Especial para la Libertad de Expresión de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) en el marco de la beca Orlando Sierra, durante 2014. También hizo parte del diario Vanguardia Liberal y escribió para otras revistas colombianas cubriendo fuentes locales, económicas y judiciales. Algunos de sus trabajos han aparecido en The Miami Herald y El Nuevo Herald de Miami.
Silvia A. Higuera Flórez é uma jornalista colombiana e escreve para o Centro Knight desde 2012. Seu interesse jornalístico é a América Latina e os direitos humanos, nomeadamente o direito à liberdade de expressão. Estudou Comunicação Social – Jornalismo na Universidade Pontifícia Bolivariana de Bucaramanga, na Colômbia e completou seu mestrado em jornalismo na Universidade do Texas em Austin. Silvia trabalhou na Relatoria para a Liberdade de Expressão da CIDH pela bolsa Orlando Sierra, em 2014. Trabalhou para o jornal Vanguardia Liberal e escreveu para outras revistas colombianas cobrindo temas locais, econômicas e judiciárias. Alguns de seus trabalhos apareceram no The Miami Herald e no El Nuevo Herald de Miami.
The controversy generated in Panama by the regulation of a law that gives the executive branch of government the power to impose fines on the media may have arrived at a solution after a meeting between the government and media representatives.
Ecuador’s Communication Law (LOC for its acronym in Spanish) was the subject of a recent conflict between the country’s government and special rapporteurs for freedom of expression of the United Nations (UN), David Kaye, and the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR), Edison Lanza.
Adela Navarro Bello, co-director of Mexican weekly Zeta, which is based in the state of Baja California, denounced an alleged plan by state authorities to carry out a smear campaign against her.
“Of all the reasons that provoke violence against journalists, the most important one is impunity, it is the lack of investigation into the acts of violence and assassinations of journalists,” said Frank La Rue, UNESCO assistant director-general for communication and information, in a video commemorating the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, which takes place every Nov. 2.
For the second consecutive year, Mexico and Brazil are the only Latin American countries that are part of the Global Impunity Index by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which was published on Oct. 27.
For journalist Iván Flores Poveda, the presidential elections that will take place in Ecuador in February 2017 represent “a democratic transition.” After 10 years in power, President Rafael Correa decided not to put his hat in the ring for the position. However, according to Flores, the president has become a kind of campaign manager for the ticket of Lenín Moreno and Jorge Glass, the former and current vice presidents under Correa.
At least six journalists were victims of different attacks after a pro-government group violently entered the Venezuelan National Assembly (AN) on Oct. 23, according to freedom of expression organization Espacio Público.
The situation of press freedom on the American continent continues to face threats ranging from violence against journalists to the use of legal mechanisms, the adoption of restrictive laws and cyber attacks.
In an editorial published on Oct. 16, the team at Cuban journalism site Periodismo de Barrio offered details about their detentions on Oct. 11 and 12 in the eastern province of Guantánamo where they had gone to cover the effects of Hurricane Matthew. They also addressed some criticisms of their work.
Judicial decisions on freedom of expression and access to information of the highest courts of 16 Latin American countries are available for free consultation now that the Freedom of Expression Case Law online database in Spanish is available.