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Access to Information

Puerto Rico governor signs bill that critics say will restrict access to public information

“Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González signed a polemic bill on Sunday [Dec. 14] that critics say is a blow to democracy and will make it more difficult to access public information in a U.S. territory long known for its lack of government transparency. González said the bill amends an existing law to provide more defined […]

Journalists fight for government transparency amid Haiti’s insecurity

"Violent attacks and threats waged by a coalition of militarized gangs are among the many risks Haitian journalists face to report the news amid intensifying insecurity in the country’s capital city, Port-au-Prince. Yet as a rotating cast of transitional leaders hope to restore order across the Caribbean nation, journalists say a lack of transparency and hostility […]

Press freedom organizations urge Puerto Rico to reject amendment restricting information access

"The Committee to Protect Journalists, International Press Institute, and Reporters Without Borders, led a coalition of eight press freedom organizations in a joint statement calling for the rejection of Puerto Rico’s Senate Bill 63, which would severely limit the territory’s constitutional right to access public information, one of the strongest in the United States. If […]

Venezuela’s El Pitazo suspects cyberattack after website knocked offline

“Venezuelan news outlet El Pitazo said Monday that its website has been offline since Nov. 21 for reasons that remain unknown. In a statement, the outlet said the company that hosts its site — Contabo — reported all its information stored on the server had been deleted and that it did not know how it […]

Media oppose access to information bill passed by senate in Puerto Rico

"With strong opposition from community leaders, nonprofit organizations, journalists’ associations and media outlets across Puerto Rico, Senate Bill 63 (SB 63), which adds new restrictions to Act 141-2019, known as the Transparency and Expedited Procedure for Access to Public Information Act, was approved Tuesday [Oct. 14] by the New Progressive Party (PNP, in Spanish) majority […]

Journalist wins case forcing Colombian lawmaker to unblock him, but must take gender equality course

"Colombia’s Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of a journalist who was blocked on Facebook and X by a member of Congress, citing violations of the journalist’s rights to freedom of expression, access to public information, and political participation. The congresswoman defended her decision to block the journalist, arguing he used the platforms to engage […]

Organizations file lawsuit against Mexico's new access to information law

"On May 12, organizations PROJUC [Proyecto Justicia Común] and ARTICLE 19 Office for Mexico and Central America filed an indirect amparo claim against various provisions of [Mexico's] new General Law on Transparency and Access to Public Information, published after its approval by Congress on March 20, 2025. On May 15, a District Court in Mexico […]

Black Brazilian journalists launch two guides on anti-racist communication practices

“Two recently released publications outline strategies for combating racism and advancing racial equality. In Anti-Racist Communication: A Guide to Inclusive Dialogue Everywhere (Planeta Publishing), Bahian journalist Midiã Noelle offers tools to refine behavioral and linguistic practices that help foster conversations without reinforcing stereotypes, prejudice, or inequality. Aiming to promote inclusion and racial justice in digital […]

Journalists in Oaxaca, Mexico, advocate for safety, public information in proposed state constitution

“In an unprecedented event in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, journalists from various media outlets met with those drafting a proposal for a new state constitution to incorporate their recommendations. Key proposals included protecting access to public information, ensuring mechanisms to safeguard journalists, promoting equity in the distribution of public advertising funds, and strengthening […]

36 independent groups in Mexico warn of setbacks in public information access

"A total of 36 independent organizations, journalists and human rights defenders denounced that a recent approval of secondary laws on access to information and protection of personal data in Mexico represents a serious setback in terms of transparency, by weakening the institutional structure and the regulatory framework that has guaranteed these rights for more than […]

Mexican weekly ZETA was target of cyber attacks

"From Jan. 20 to 23, the weekly magazine ZETA's website was the target of a Denial of Service (DDoS) cyber attack, orchestrated by unknown individuals in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. The objective of DDoS attacks is to overload the digital infrastructure of a website, for example by making countless access requests, in order to overload […]

Pope Francis meets with journalists Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz who investigated abuse in Peru

“Pope Francis held a private audience Monday [Dec. 9] with three journalists who have investigated scandals linked to the  Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana (SCV), a Catholic organization based in Peru. Paola Ugaz and Pedro Salinas have been the subject of multiple legal complaints and harassment on social media due to their reporting on the issue. […]