Arbitrary detention, disinformation, intimidation, and violence are some of the threats the independent media increasingly face in Latin America, particularly in authoritarian countries, such as Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, which have the backing of China and Russia.
Press freedom in these countries has deteriorated to such an extent that scores of journalists in Cuba and Venezuela have been arbitrarily arrested, and others in Nicaragua were forced into exile, while the regimes tighten up their grip on the local media and crack down on what they consider dissent. The “fake content industry” for which China and Russia are among the top offenders worldwide, also greatly deteriorates press freedom and destabilize societies.
“The Nicaraguan regime has completely dismantled the independent press, confiscated, imprisoned, and then exiled editors and journalists. It has also persecuted family members and ransacked the homes and bank accounts of those who maintain a critical voice,” Carlos Lauría, executive director of the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) in Argentina, told Diálogo. The IAPA is a non-profit organization based in Miami, which aims to promote freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. “In Cuba and Venezuela, persecution against the few journalists who manage to speak out and other citizens who want to express themselves freely results in sanctions that block channels of expression with stigmatization and harassment.”
Nicaragua stands out in its repression of the press by weaponizing laws. Among those is the foreign agents law adopted in 2020, which forces independent media outlets and journalists to register as foreign agents if they receive funding or payments from abroad. The law, inspired by Russia and dubbed the “Putin law” among the media, not only restricts and control the media, but essentially prevents them from operating. The special law on cybercrimes, also adopted in 2020, allows the regime to regulate content on social media and prosecute those who express ideas or opinions contrary to or against the regime.
Nicaragua has also been increasingly relying on Russia-state media RT and Sputnik, signing memoranda of cooperation with both outlets in the past two years and moving forward with the dissemination of their content. This cooperation only further silences critical voices, blocks the free flow of information, and promotes Russia’s narrative and disinformation.
In Venezuela, watchdogs have documented hundreds of media violations and warned that the Nicolás Maduro regime uses “selective repression” against journalists who contradict the official narrative. Independent news media face harassment, detention, censorship, with many outlets forced to shut down, while the regime calls the press an “enemy.” According to advocacy group Freedom House, China’s technology and expertise has allowed Venezuela and Cuba to exercise suffocating control over digital media, blocking internet access and social media.
Hundreds of websites operated from within China have been found to pose as local news outlets in Latin America to disseminate pro-Beijing disinformation, attacks against the West and democracy, and manipulate the audience, with a potentially devastating effect. China has also been known to routinely invite journalists to China to work and study, who then return with a bias messaging favorable to China.
“In short, there is a complex situation arising from democratic decline and political polarization, which translates into restrictions of all kinds on the press, aggravated by a public discourse in which many lies and disinformation circulate. Intolerance of the critical press is a characteristic that is generating problems, and which also risks translating into acts of violence against journalists and the media,” Lauría said.
With the aim of reaffirming their commitment to a free press, a vibrant public discourse, and the flourishing of democratic societies in the Ibero-American region and the Caribbean, international and national free press organizations signed the Santiago + 30 Declaration on May 2 in Santiago, Chile, addressing the new political, social, and technological challenges that face journalism worldwide. The text is a revision of the 1994 Santiago Declaration and was presented during the Santiago-Chile 2024 International Media Meeting, convened by UNESCO to celebrate World Press Freedom Day.
National media associations in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, and Spain are among the signatories, in addition to IAPA, the National Newspaper Association, the World Association of News Publishers, and the Committee to Protect Journalists.
“The Declaration of Santiago + 30 asks states to avoid political polarization, narratives, to protect journalists, guarantee the free flow of information, access to public information, and support the sustainability of independent journalism and, at the same time, encourage balanced negotiating conditions between the media and technology companies in the distribution of content,” Lauría said.
Lauría added that the declaration also asks intergovernmental organizations to encourage public policies in favor of a plural and independent press, to promote the creation of media outlets in rural areas and to encourage public media and digital literacy campaigns.
“Journalistic media outlets are asked to resist censorship, self-censorship, and undue influence; uphold principles of quality and transparency; create safety protocols for their professionals; and strengthen their gender, race, and diversity inclusion policies,” Lauría concluded.
