This is a guest essay by IAPA Executive Director Carlos Lauría
Over the past several years, we have seen a troubling erosion of democratic norms and institutions throughout Latin America and beyond. Authoritarian rhetoric is no longer the exception — in some places, it has become a governing style. Leaders in various countries regularly target the press with hostile language, disinformation, and even legal intimidation.
Smearing of journalists and media is not only rhetorical. It contributes to a climate of impunity. In the last six months alone, multiple journalists have been murdered across the region in Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, and Mexico, cases tied to their work. These crimes often go unsolved. Few are prosecuted. The silence of justice sends a loud message: the press is expendable. Reporters are missing in Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Stigmatization aims to undermine the credibility of journalists and media that reveal matters of public interest — a tactic that has been particularly acute in Colombia and Argentina, where political actors seek to discredit independent reporting through orchestrated smear campaigns.
The Inter American Press Association has documented sustained attacks against independent media in more than half the countries we monitor. These include judicial harassment, arbitrary detentions, surveillance, internet shutdowns, and smear campaigns. The effect is chilling — not just for those reporting but entire societies denied access to independent and pluralistic information. Judicial harassment has become more complex with accusations of money laundering, tax evasion, and embezzlement, which makes it more difficult for journalists and media to defend themselves in court.
Moreover, press freedom is under pressure in countries once considered regional exemplars of democratic stability. One notable example is Costa Rica.
A country historically regarded as one of Latin America’s strongest democracies, the tone of official discourse has shifted dramatically in the last few years. The executive branch has adopted confrontational language, questioned the legitimacy of traditional media, and suggested state-run alternatives as “more reliable” sources of information. These developments erode the foundations of a once-robust culture of press freedom and risk, setting a dangerous precedent for the region.
Even more troubling is the situation in Peru, where we have observed a sustained campaign of harassment and discrediting of journalists by high-ranking government officials. Political leaders use incendiary rhetoric and smear tactics to portray the press as adversaries. Meanwhile, journalists covering corruption, political instability, or protests often face legal threats, intimidation, and online abuse. These hostile conditions, coupled with the fragility of democratic institutions, have severely limited the press’s ability to operate freely.
To address these and other crises, the Inter American Press Association has strategically used one of its most important tools: advocacy missions. These missions — made up of media leaders and IAPA representatives — are deployed to countries facing serious press freedom violations. They serve multiple functions: meeting with local journalists, documenting abuses, pressing governments for answers, and drawing the attention of the international community to ongoing threats.
These missions have helped spotlight deteriorating conditions in Peru, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. They demonstrate to repressive actors that the world is watching — and that attacks on the press will not go unnoticed. More importantly, they provide moral and practical support to local journalists under extreme pressure. In many cases, the presence of international delegations has opened space for dialogue, slowed legislative assaults, or prompted investigations into violent attacks.
These political pressures are only one side of the story. The other is economic. The financial model that once supported journalism is collapsing. The digital advertising economy has become dominated by a handful of technological giants that benefit from distributing news content.
For local and independent outlets — many of which serve vulnerable or underserved communities — the consequences are stark: shrinking newsrooms, disappearing coverage, and ultimately, the loss of journalistic presence in entire regions. In several countries, governments exploit this vulnerability by using state advertising to reward loyalty and punish criticism.
In parallel, disinformation is filling the vacuum. Social media platforms — while enabling communication and mobilization — have also become fertile ground for propaganda, conspiracy theories, and manipulation. The public’s ability to distinguish truth from falsehood is under constant assault. And the press, already under political and financial pressure, must contend with an information ecosystem where credibility is under siege.
These problems are not confined to fragile democracies or authoritarian regimes. They are also present in the United States, although in different forms.
The U.S. has long served as a global standard-bearer for press freedom. But even there, we have seen an alarming normalization of anti-media rhetoric, particularly in recent political cycles. Phrases like “enemy of the people” or “fake news” have eroded public trust and emboldened attacks — both verbal and physical — against journalists.
A troubling number of journalists have faced harassment, threats, or violence while covering protests or political events. Newsrooms are being sued or targeted by coordinated campaigns to chill investigative reporting. And while the First Amendment remains a strong legal safeguard, cultural and political polarization increasingly undermines journalism’s role in public life.
Moreover, the U.S. media industry is not immune to the financial crisis facing the rest of the Americas. The decline of local news has left vast areas — sometimes entire counties — without a single source of independent reporting. Digital startups, while promising, often struggle to scale or sustain operations.
So when we speak of a crisis in the Americas, we must include the U.S. in that conversation — not just as a powerful example, but as a warning. No democracy is immune from the corrosive effects of disinformation, political polarization, and economic fragility.
In this challenging environment, professional journalism remains indispensable. It is our best tool to hold power to account, to verify facts, and to sustain an informed public. That’s why the work of organizations like the Inter American Press Association are so critical. We defend not just the rights of journalists but the public’s right to know.
At the IAPA, we continue to document violations, conduct missions to countries under threat, and develop tools like the Chapultepec Index to measure freedom of expression across the region. We advocate for public policies that support a diverse, independent, and sustainable press.
But we also recognize that defending freedom of the press today requires more than advocacy — it requires innovation. We must rethink business models, embrace digital transformation, and invest in the next generation of journalists. We must form alliances with civil society, academia, and even responsible tech actors to reclaim the information space and restore public trust.
Ultimately, press freedom is not just a media issue. It is a democratic issue. And democracy cannot survive — let alone thrive — without a free, pluralistic, and economically viable press.
The pressures we face are real, but so is our resolve. Across the Americas, from large national outlets to small local newsrooms, journalists continue to investigate, inform, and resist — often at significant personal risk. In El Salvador, for example, the state of emergency imposed by President Nayib Bukele since 2022 has further deteriorated conditions for press freedom, enabling unchecked surveillance, restricting journalistic access, and fueling a climate of self-censorship. Their courage should inspire us to redouble our commitment, strengthen our collaboration, and never take freedom for granted.