Central American journalists confront rising repression and exile

Journalists across Central America are experiencing a "critical setback" marked by state harassment, criminalisation and precarious working conditions, according to Angélica Cárcamo, director of the Red Centroamericana de Periodistas. The latest Reporters Without Borders index ranks Nicaragua (168), El Salvador (143), Honduras (132) and Guatemala (128) as the region’s worst performers for press freedom, while Panama (65) and Costa Rica (38) rank higher but also show declines.

The hostile environment has forced many reporters to flee: more than 300 Nicaraguan journalists have sought exile, primarily in Costa Rica, and at least 53 Salvadoran journalists have left the country for safety. Threats stem from authoritarian regimes such as Daniel Ortega’s government in Nicaragua and Nayib Bukele’s administration in El Salvador, as well as from organized crime. In Guatemala, President Bernardo Arévalo’s term saw only modest improvements, prompting the new Attorney General Gabriel García Luna to establish a commission on the situation of journalists, prosecutors, judges and exiled activists.