Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – Pedro Vaca Villarreal, the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), has issued a stark warning about the deteriorating state of press freedom across the Americas. Speaking at the 81st General Assembly of the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), Vaca lamented the scarcity of positive examples of journalistic liberty in the region. He highlighted alarming developments in Guatemala, El Salvador, and the United States, where journalists face increasing obstacles. In Guatemala, reporters are being imprisoned for merely performing their duties, while El Salvador has imposed severe restrictions on access to public information, making confidentiality the norm. In the United States, new Pentagon regulations have been criticized for impeding journalistic work. Vaca also expressed concern over a broader regional trend of ‘tolerance for abuse,’ exacerbated by irresponsible and discriminatory rhetoric from political leaders, which undermines public trust. Panelists Andrés Mompotes, director of El Tiempo (Colombia), and Daniel Dessen, president of La Gaceta (Argentina), echoed these sentiments, noting the erosion of democratic values and ongoing efforts to delegitimize the press. Despite these challenges, Dessen pointed to failed censorship attempts in Argentina as a sign that ‘there are still reasons for optimism.’
Pedro Vaca warns press freedom is under pressure across the Americas
