Drug trafficking and transnational organized crime are the among the new threats that Guatemalan journalists are facing, according to study on freedom of expression in the country, EFE reports.
The massive police mobilization against drug traffickers in the “favela” shantytowns of Rio de Janeiro has led journalists and the city’s residents to find creative ways to follow, debate, and share information about the ongoing violence.
The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) has praised Peru's decision to create a special jurisdiction to prosecute serious crimes against journalists, calling it "of far-reaching importance for the battle against impunity.” Starting this month, the new jurisdiction will try cases of assassination, serious injuries, kidnapping, and extortion of journalists.
Since the Law Against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination took effect in Bolivia Oct. 8, La Patria newspaper of Oruro has published the following disclaimer on Page 3: “We reserve the right to publish or reject any announcement, information, and/or opinion text that could harm our newspaper. As a consequence, one can not accuse this newspaper of discrimination, partiality, self-censorship, or any other abuse of the right to free expression."
The Venezuelan government issued a decree prohibiting the unauthorized use of the “name, image, or figure” of President Hugo Chávez for public works, political and social organizations, or ad campaigns, EFE and AFP report.
President Hugo Chávez said it is not acceptable for the TV station Globovisión to criticize his government, while its majority shareholder, Guillermo Zuloaga, remains a fugitive of Venezuelan justice, The Associated Press reports.
The president of Panama’s National Journalism Council, Guillermo Antonio Adames, reported that he received threats from individuals close to President Ricardo Martinelli, La Estrella and Panamá América report.
Yoani Sánchez, the dissident author of the blog Generación Y, was honored for her work toward free expression in Cuba by the Denmark-based Center for Political Studies (CEPOS), AFP reports.
The deadline for Cuba to release 52 political prisoners came and went Sunday night, Nov. 14, and as of Monday, 13 remained imprisoned, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Associated Press. The prisoners were arrested in March 2003 during a crackdown on dissidents and independent journalists known as "Black Spring."
Angélica Ramírez, a well-known host on a TV station in Huila department, was arrested Nov. 15, El Espectador reports. The police accused her of connections with the FARC guerilla organization and charged her with extortion, terrorism, and the illegal trafficking of weapons, El Tiempo explains.
The Bolivian government accused the Inter American Press Assocation (IAPA) – a group of media companies in the region – of “censoring and violating the freedom of expression of journalists and workers throughout its history,” Los Tiempos reports.
Carlos Fuentes, an independent journalist and social communications student, was briefly detained by the police for photographing a group of people on the stairs at a Caracas Metro station, which he planned to post on Twitter, the Press and Society Institute (IPYS) and Noticias 24 report.