"Ensuring a safe environment for journalists remains a critical challenge for Latin America's democracies. Since 2000, at least 338 journalists have been killed in the region, highlighting the urgent need for protection mechanisms to counter systemic violence. In a new report, Reporters Without Borders (RSF, for its initials in French) analyzed journalist protection programs in […]
“Ecuadoran journalist Leonardo Rivas, news director of the digital radio station Cariñosa, was murdered on Saturday [Nov. 23] in an attack attributed to hitmen in the province of Guayas, one of the most affected by the insecurity crisis in Ecuador. The radio station confirmed the tragic event on its Facebook account, saying that Rivas was […]
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has raised concerns over the alarming increase in violence against journalists in Ecuador, where at least six incidents were reported in just one month. RSF is calling on the Ecuadorian government to take immediate action to ensure the safety of journalists and protect the right to information. "The escalation in violence […]
The investigative journalism platform CONNECTAS announced it’s receiving applications for grants with the aim of supporting journalists and communicators interested in investigating environmental crimes and their possible solutions in the Amazon region. The initiative will focus specifically on Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Applicants will be able to propose stories, reports, or investigations that address this […]
A judge from Ecuador, in the province of Loja, handed down a ruling that “sets a precedent for the abusive use of judicial power to persecute any dissident voice,” according to the NGO Fundamedios. The July 22 ruling annulled a decision taken last June by the Cantonal Board for the Protection of Rights that, among […]
"Five people linked to one of the largest criminal gangs in Ecuador were convicted of the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio that happened on Aug. 9, 2023. Carlos Angulo, alleged leader of Los Lobos gang, and Laura Castilla were sentenced to 34 years and eight months in prison for leading the hit. [...] The […]
"In June 2024, the exercise of freedom of expression and the press in Ecuador became more dangerous and violent, with a notable increase in attacks on media outlets. Fundamedios documented 21 attacks this month, an increase from May, raising the annual total to 119 attacks. This pattern reveals an escalation in violence and hostility towards […]
"A daughter of Ecuadoran presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, murdered last August, was threatened by the main suspect in ordering the assassination, her lawyer denounced on Wednesday (June 26) during the trial. The alleged perpetrator of the crime 'began issuing messages and comments against one of Fernando's daughters' through the Zoom chat during a hearing, Nathalia […]
"The Government of the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, revoked the visa of Cuban journalist and actress Alondra Santiago, under the argument that the communicator, who in the electoral campaign positioned herself in favor of the Correísta candidate Luisa González, allegedly committed acts that threaten the security of the State. 'What was once fake news, […]
"The program 'Los irreverentes' —hosted by journalists Sol Borja, Fabricio Vela and José Luis Cañizares—, which was broadcast on RTU, was cancelled. Fundamedios learned, unofficially, that the cancellation occurred after pressure from the Government in the face of the criticism expressed in the program. Sources from the media outlet deny it and point out that […]
Mónica Velásquez Villacís, an Ecuadoran journalist with La Posta, was announced as one of this year's recipients of the annual Courage in Journalism Awards, granted by the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) to honor the remarkable bravery of women and non-binary journalists in their pursuit of reporting. In its announcement, the IWMF highlighted Velásquez Villacís' […]
"Relatives of the members of the journalistic team from Ecuadoran newspaper El Comercio who were abducted and murdered in 2018 by a Colombian dissident group of the FARC, denounced this Friday [May 17] that the Ecuadoran government gave them incomplete secret minutes of the Public and State Security Council (COSEPE, for its acronym in Spanish) […]