October in the Americas: A free expression and civic space round-up produced by IFEX's Regional Editor Laura Vidal, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
October in the Americas witnessed intensifying pressures on freedom of expression, with new legislative actions and escalating threats to journalists marking a difficult month for civic space. In Paraguay, proposed legislation requiring non-profits to disclose detailed financial and personnel records threatens to hinder independent media’s ability to operate freely. Argentina saw a surge in government hostility towards the press under President Milei, whose restrictive decrees and inflammatory rhetoric have fostered an increasingly hostile environment for journalists. Meanwhile, Cuba’s new Social Communication Law has brought severe repercussions for independent journalists, who report facing threats, detentions, and coerced confessions under state pressure.
Paraguay: Proposed legislation threatens press freedom
The Paraguayan Congress recently approved a controversial bill aimed at tightening control over non-profit organisations, a move that press freedom advocates warn could impose severe restrictions on independent media. The bill, now awaiting President Santiago Peña’s decision, mandates that all non-profit organisations, including those receiving foreign funding, must submit semiannual financial reports to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It also requires NGOs to disclose lists of collaborators, which could put both staff and donors at risk.
“Many independent Paraguayan media organisations are non-profits dependent on foreign donor funds. This law would force them to disclose sensitive information about those they work with, creating a serious obstacle to their work,” said Cristina Zahar of IFEX member the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Press advocates, including the Human Rights Coordinating Committee of Paraguay (Codehupy) urged President Peña to reject the legislation, citing risks to both press freedom and civic engagement.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has also expressed concern. The office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression warned that the bill’s extensive requirements – such as mandatory registration for all NGOs, detailed tracking of funds and expenditures, and exhaustive documentation of organisational activities – would expand the administrative burdens already in place. It also flags that vague language in the bill, linking nonprofit status to terms like “public utility,” “social interest,” and “cultural interest,” could enable government authorities to interpret compliance loosely. The law introduces stringent penalties for non-compliance, including suspension of organisational activities for up to six months and disqualification from holding office for up to five years. Critics argue that these punitive measures could further constrain civic space and hinder NGO operations, noting similar authoritarian strategies across the region used to control civil society, as seen in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Argentina: Escalating tensions against the press
Since Javier Milei took office as Argentina’s president, antagonism towards the press has sharply escalated. Milei has repeatedly lashed out at journalists critical of his administration, using opportunities to dismiss and berate them. This approach has raised concerns among media workers and press organisations, as it signals a shift towards greater governmental intolerance of critical reporting.
These escalations follow other important recent events. One was the controversial decree 780/2024, which introduced amendments limiting access to public information, using ambiguous language and granting authorities discretion to withhold information by citing these terms. Previous to that, in July, IFEX member the Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA) reported that digital operators linked to the government had launched a smear campaign against independent media.
This hostility, notably endorsed by Milei himself, is seen as unprecedented, especially given his brief tenure. Then, in late September, Milei’s aggressive rhetoric reached new levels when he publicly incited crowds to insult journalists during a party event. FOPEA voiced concern, stating, “Inciting people to publicly insult journalists is not only an expression of intolerance but a strategy that undermines democratic principles.”
IACHR Special Rapporteur Pedro Vaca echoed FOPEA’s concerns, remarking, “Having a disagreement is one thing, but for the official voice to initiate or condone violence is another. State voices should never be the starting point for a permissive environment of violence.”
Milei’s preferred medium of attack has been the social platform X, where he frequently criticises journalists and detractors. He rarely holds press conferences and only occasionally engages with media figures he deems favourable. Political analyst Óscar Romano, speaking to France 24, commented on Milei’s style, noting how figures from the new right wing employ a “direct, explicit, and visceral” communication approach, often using social media to convey impactful, headline-grabbing statements that resonate with their audience and drive engagement.
Cuba: New Social Communication Law intensifies repression against independent journalists
Cuba’s new Social Communication Law, enacted on 4 October, has unleashed a severe wave of repression targeting independent journalists who operate outside the official media landscape. Journalists report facing harassment, threats, and accusations of mercenarismo (mercenary activity), a charge under Article 143 of the Penal Code that was introduced in 2022 and carries penalties of four to ten years in prison. Authorities allege these journalists receive foreign funds to carry out actions that threaten constitutional order.
“The Cuban regime, without delay, has unleashed a new wave of repression, which can be described as state terrorism,” said Normando Hernández, the general director of the Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and Press (ICLEP), to the LatAm Journalism Review. He added that the purpose is clear: “to instill terror, force them to abandon their informative work, and warn them, through threats and coercion, that the new law is another instrument to imprison them.”
IFEX members ARTICULO 19 and Reporters without Borders have documented disturbing patterns in the interrogations of journalists. They are subjected to verbal abuse and are pressured to either sign statements or record video confessions acknowledging their involvement with projects allegedly funded by foreign sources. These confessions, which also tend to be broadcasted on state-controlled media – an additional layer of humiliation – are also made under the threat of imprisonment or harm to their families, loved ones, or other people in their support networks. The targeted individuals are forced to choose between being labeled as accused, or as state witnesses, with evidence gathered through these forced confessions being used to substantiate criminal charges.
Independent digital media outlets, including El Toque, Cubanet, Periodismo de Barrio, and Magazine AM:PM, have reported arbitrary detentions, illegal interrogations, threats of prosecution, and confiscation of personal and work equipment. Other IFEX members including CPJ, the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), and a number of human rights organisations have condemned these actions, warning that the Social Communication Law represents a new tool for the Cuban government to curb freedom of expression and restrict access to information.
In brief
FOPEA (Argentina) launches podcast series on journalists’ legal tools. The series “Informar sin dañar(nos),” [informing the public without harming (ourselves)] comprises six episodes that provide legal knowledge and tools to support journalistic work.
Guatemala: Organisations throughout the region welcome José Rubén Zamora’s House arrest decision: After more than 800 days in detention, the elPeriódico founder and director will soon be transferred to house arrest following a Guatemalan court ruling on 18 October.
Haiti tops CPJ’s Global Impunity Index for unpunished journalist murders with gang violence, political instability, and a weak judiciary contributing to a crisis of impunity. Added to the index in 2023 as criminal gangs expanded control following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Haiti now faces an “existential crisis” in the press, leading many outlets to reduce the number of staff or close.
Uruguay presidential candidates head to runoff: Uruguay’s presidential election will proceed to a runoff after centre-left candidate Yamandú Orsi failed to secure over 50% of the vote against his main rival, Álvaro Delgado, from the current administration’s centre-right coalition.
