Press Freedom in the Americas Declined Dramatically in 2025, IAPA Report Finds

Watchdog Reports Sharp Decline in Press Freedom Across the Americas

Press freedom in the Americas is poised for a "dramatic deterioration" in 2025, as per a regional watchdog's evaluation of journalistic conditions across 23 countries in the Western Hemisphere, which was made public on Tuesday. Since 2020, the Miami-based Inter American Press Association, also known as IAPA, has been releasing the Chapultepec Index each year, a compilation that assesses freedom of speech. The index compares the performance of the United States, Canada, and Latin American countries in terms of media freedom protection. The group reported that the prior year had been particularly grim for journalists in the area, pointing to murders, unjust detentions, and a lack of accountability for crimes targeting those in the media. The study highlighted a sharp increase in threats to press freedom and journalist safety across the continent, fueling concerns about the environment for independent reporting and free speech.

Countries Ranked by Levels of Press Freedom

The 2025 Chapultepec Index shows that Venezuela and Nicaragua have limited "freedom of speech." Ecuador, Bolivia, Honduras, Peru, Mexico, Haiti, Cuba, and El Salvador were all categorized as having "high restrictions." In contrast, democracies such as Canada, Brazil, Chile, and Panama were classified as having "low restrictions" on freedom of expression. The study shows a wide range of conditions for journalists in the region. Some governments have relatively strong protections, while others have increased repression and harassment.

Concerns Over Press Freedom in the United States

According to the research, the United States has "restrictions" on free speech. According to the IAPA, there were 170 attacks against journalists in the country in 2025. According to the study, attacks while covering procedures carried out by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement aroused worries about journalistic liberty. Researchers also discovered what they regarded as insufficient government action against disinformation, as well as government activities targeted at restricting free expression and information access. The report also stated that Donald Trump and other White House officials have demonized media outlets critical of the administration.

Rising Violence Against Journalists in Latin America

The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that thirteen journalists lost their lives in Latin America during the previous year. This number is nearly twice the seven fatalities recorded in 2024. Cristina Zahar, who oversees the organization's work in Latin America, noted that press freedom and democracy in the area have suffered significant blows. She claimed that the group has witnessed deliberate attacks on the press by public entities with the intent of delegitimizing journalists' work. Zahar also mentioned that many countries have used anti-terrorism laws, cybercrime laws, and regulations for non-profit organizations to criminalize journalism and limit media activities.

Authoritarian Pressure and Attacks on Media Workers

According to the IAPA, attacks against journalists have escalated as authoritarian rulers emerge in various nations around the continent. Local media outlets in Venezuela often self-censor, with little coverage of opposition leader María Corina Machado's Nobel Peace Prize owing to fear of government retaliation, according to a report. According to the research, censorship in Nicaragua has become institutionalized as a result of constitutional revisions that put all branches of government under presidential supervision. El Salvador was designated as a country with severe restrictions on free expression, with government officials allegedly pressuring journalists through litigation and criminal investigations. Between May and July, the report reported 180 attacks on media personnel.

Violence, Impunity and Threats to Journalists in the Region

The survey also found 290 incidences of violence against journalists in Ecuador last year, including four deaths purportedly committed by criminal groups. Police shot one journalist in the shoulder while broadcasting an Indigenous community-organized demonstration. The survey included Haiti for the first time and classified it as one of the countries with the least press freedom in the Americas. Two journalists were slain in 2024 when gang members invaded the reopening ceremony of a hospital in Port-au-Prince. According to the research, crimes against journalists frequently go unpunished in Haiti, where gangs dominate significant portions of the capital and have conducted intimidation operations against media workers and citizens. The Inter American Press Association, which has over 1,300 member news organizations, continues to campaign for improved protections for press freedom throughout the hemisphere.