The Inter-American Press Society (SIP) reported on Tuesday that conditions for journalism and freedom of expression in the Americas have deteriorated dramatically, with a regional average of 47.10 points, the lowest level since the Chapultepec Index on Freedom of Expression and the Press began. According to the report, in its sixth edition, it reflects one of the 'worst years' for journalism in the region, marked by homicides, arbitrary detentions, exiles, and impunity in countries such as Mexico, Honduras, Ecuador, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Cuba, and Venezuela. The report notes that the deterioration does not distinguish between political ideologies and is present in different government systems on the continent. 'Freedom of the press and expression on the continent have not been favored by any of the poles of political radicalization that characterize the region in recent years,' it details. It emphasized that 'authoritarian presidentialisms have set the tone in the worst-rated countries.' In many of the worst-rated countries, judges participating in the analysis attribute the adverse situations for freedom of expression and the press to the Executive Branch. Among the patterns mentioned are the use of state institutions to criminalize independent journalism and the stigmatizing language against the press, sometimes accompanied by pressure or aggression from shock groups. Also, the fiscalization and financial suffocation of critical private media, as well as the approval of laws that penalize expressions contrary to the interests of power. Likewise, SIP, based in Miami, warned in its report about protection mechanisms considered inefficient against attacks from criminal or irregular groups against journalists. The best and worst The report highlights that the best conditions for freedom of expression and independent journalism were recorded in the Dominican Republic, the only nation with more than 80 points out of 100 in the index, followed by Chile, Canada, Brazil, Uruguay, and Jamaica, which are in the 'Low Restriction' category. In contrast, the 'High Restriction' band includes Ecuador, Bolivia, Honduras, Peru, Mexico, Haiti, Cuba, and El Salvador, while Nicaragua and Venezuela are in the category of 'No Freedom of Expression.' The document also highlights the regression of the United States, which fell from fourth to eleventh place and dropped from the 'Low Restriction' category to the 'Under Restriction' countries category. In total, 195 judges from 23 countries, including Haiti for the first time, participated in the evaluation of this sixth edition of the index, prepared by SIP in alliance with researchers from the Andrés Bello Catholic University of Venezuela. The report also states that 2026 is shaping up to be a year of political transformations in the region, especially in countries that have held recent elections such as Chile and Honduras. Also in Venezuela, in reference to the capture by the United States government of former President Nicolás Maduro, who faces drug trafficking charges in New York. Furthermore, the regional body warns of uncertainty regarding the climate of civil rights in several countries and about the press's ability to drive changes to ensure its sustainability, especially in contexts of economic crisis like the one Bolivia is going through. The report covers the measurement period from November 2, 2024, to November 1, 2025.
