"Researchers found that the Americas have experienced a dramatic deterioration in unrestricted speech, according to the report. This is one of the worst years for journalism in the region, marked by murders, arbitrary arrests, exile, and rampant impunity in countries such as Mexico, Honduras, Ecuador, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Cuba, and Venezuela."
"Even though journalistic practice in the United States remains protected by the Constitution and laws, last year's events saw the erosion of safeguards, the report explained. Trump, it said, had contributed to the stigmatisation of critical journalism. The report also pointed to developments like cuts to public media funding and the closure of Voice of America, a government-funded broadcaster, as detriments to the free press."
"In a ranking of 23 countries across the hemisphere, the US dropped from fourth place to 11th, indicating that journalists operate with increased restrictions. Changes under President Donald Trump, who returned to office last year, were cited as a primary factor."
The Inter American Press Association released a press freedom index showing the Americas at its lowest average ranking since 2020. The region experienced dramatic deterioration in unrestricted speech, with murders, arbitrary arrests, exile, and impunity affecting journalists in multiple countries including Mexico, Honduras, Ecuador, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Cuba, and Venezuela. Restrictions on free speech occurred across countries of various ideological orientations. The United States saw alarming decline, dropping from fourth to eleventh place among 23 hemisphere countries. Changes under President Donald Trump contributed to erosion of press safeguards through stigmatization of critical journalism, cuts to public media funding, and closure of Voice of America. The report documented 170 attacks against journalists in the US.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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