Guatemala: No press freedom, no democracy
Artículo 19 (Mexico and Central America), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Foundation for Press Freedom – FLIP, Freedom House, Fundamedios – Andean Foundation for Media Observation and Study, IFEX Latin American & Caribbean Alliance, Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
17 May 2023
5 minute read
A woman holds a sign that reads “Without freedom of speech we are slaves” during a demonstration against the closure of the “El Periodico” newspaper. (Photo by Johan ORDONEZ / AFP) (Photo by JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
We call on authorities to respect and protect freedom of expression and freedom of the press as necessary conditions to guarantee democracy and the legitimacy of the electoral process.
A month before the national elections, the undersigned organisations participated in and/or supported an observation mission to Guatemala to analyse the state of press freedom in this country. Mission participants spoke with journalists and communicators across the country to learn more about the circumstances in which they work and the challenges they face. They interviewed media executives and directors, civil society representatives and State authorities to learn about their efforts to guarantee freedom of the press.
The mission’s conclusions are extremely worrisome, not only for the right of journalists and communicators to inform the public, but for the essential right of citizens to receive this information in order to make their own free and conscious decisions.
In Guatemala, a system of intimidation, silencing, and restrictions on the free exercise of journalism is intensifying. In a country where only 16% of the population trusts the Supreme Electoral Tribunal as guarantor of a democratic electoral process (as per a recent survey by Prensa Libre), such restrictions on the press may further tarnish the credibility of the upcoming election.
More:
https://ifex.org/guatemala-no-press-freedom-no-democracy/
