House of Representatives approves ban on live pre-trial judicial broadcasts

The House of Representatives has approved House Bill 1211, which prohibits the live broadcasting of judicial hearings held prior to a trial. The legislation, authored by Representative Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló, was modified to also restrict the publication of audio and images from preliminary hearings and probable cause hearings, commonly known as Rule 6 hearings.

José “Che” Pérez Cordero, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, supported the measure, arguing that excessive publicity in recent criminal cases has compromised defendants' constitutional rights to the presumption of innocence and a fair, impartial trial. He stated, “We cannot create a constitutional right to freedom of the press by affecting the right to a fair, fast, and impartial trial.”

During public hearings, press organizations expressed concern regarding the scope of the phrase “by any means,” fearing it could impact written reports and real-time journalistic coverage. They noted that existing regulations already allow courts to limit or suspend electronic coverage as needed. However, Rodríguez Aguiló emphasized that the law will not prevent press access to hearings or the broadcasting of the actual trials.