In the first month of 2022, Latin America took the lead as the deadliest region for the press, with seven journalists killed: four in Mexico, two in Haiti and one in Honduras.
A group of organizations, media, and journalists from the region, have come together to create RedLEAL, Network for the Defense of Freedom of Expression in Latin America. The objective of the group is to establish a solidarity network and give visibility to under-reported cases of violations of freedom of expression in Latin America.
“I would like to see this forum as an opportunity to reflect on our situation, to start a conversation that leads us to face together, better organized and accompanied, the wave of orchestrated attacks on Central American journalism from each of our governments. Together, organized, we will better resist” said Carlos Dada at the Central American Journalism Forum.
Journalists from Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela spoke in a panel during the webinar “Journalism in Times of Polarization and Disinformation in Latin America.” The panel explored press freedom in countries faced with increasingly authoritarian governments and how they’ve been able to continue doing journalism.
Contracorriente is a new digital outlet, founded in 2017, but already capable of making an impact in Honduras. And this was recognized by the 2021 Maria Moors Cabot Prize with a special mention from the jury. The two founders told LJR about the journalistic investigation, the behind-the-scenes of the creation and maintenance of Contracorriente, and about how they deal with sexism in journalism.
In recent years, various digital media in Latin America, from Mexico to Chile, have decided to translate and create content in English as a way to reach new audiences and thus increase their profits. Although, sometimes that’s easier said than done.
The information on the profile of journalists killed in the last decade in the four countries of the region with protection mechanisms makes clear the need to strengthen them. The data was obtained during the development of the project 'In Danger– Analysis of journalist protection programs in Latin America' carried out by RSF with the support of Unesco.
One of the main missions of site Reporteros de Investigación of Honduras is to investigate the murders of its colleagues, as well as obstacles to press freedom in the country.
Between January and June of 2020, Voces del Sur, a Latin American initiative, registered 630 aggressions against the press in the region. These went on the rise or worsened after governments issued a health emergency.
Buenaventura Calderón, a radio host who was critical of local authorities, was shot and killed in eastern Honduras on Oct. 31 by unknown individuals riding a motorcycle.