Helping to Keep Independent Journalism Alive in Latin America and the Caribbean
Read about four ways USAID supports free media as a cornerstone of democracy in the region
Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the most dangerous regions in the world to be a journalist.
Media professionals frequently face harassment, unjust imprisonment, violence, and even murder. In recent years, many independent media outlets have been silenced or forced to close or relocate to another country.
Freedom of the press is vital to healthy democracies.
USAID supports independent media outlets in the region for their valuable public service: providing objective and accurate news and information to citizens about what is happening on the ground. This work counters attempts by undemocratic actors to control the information space, builds communities’ resilience to information manipulation, and fosters connections between independent media outlets, civil society organizations, and marginalized communities.
Here are four ways USAID is accomplishing that in Latin America and the Caribbean region.
Sustaining Media in Restricted Spaces
In parts of the region where journalists are persecuted and outlets are forced to operate in exile, USAID plays an essential role in helping media outlets continue to operate.
USAID provides funding to help outlets carry out their day-to-day responsibilities, responds to emergency requests, and helps train professional investigative journalists to strengthen the quality of their reporting.
“Journalism today is more necessary than ever. It is more necessary because we need the world to know what is happening in our country,” shared an independent journalist supported by USAID who was forced into exile.
To continue fostering connections for independent media outlets, USAID launched the Central America Regional Media Project (ReMEDIOS) in 2023. ReMEDIOS strengthens the work of journalists to inform the public by amplifying local partnerships, expanding support services for journalists, and leveraging cross-border networks.
The project supports the U.S. Strategy for Addressing the Root Causes of Migration in Central America by promoting respect for human rights, transparency, and a free press and advances the U.S. Government’s Voices (Voces) Initiative to protect, promote, and defend civic space in Central America.
Amplifying Voices of Women Journalists in Mexico
In 2022, Mexico was Latin America’s deadliest country for journalists. Adding to the harrowing trend, women journalists experience increasing amounts of gender violence that imperils their safety and freedom of expression in the country.
To provide a deeper understanding of the violence faced by journalists and other human rights defenders in Mexico, USAID and partner Defensores de la Democracia (DDLD) produced season two of a podcast series called “Voces Silenciadas” (Silenced Voices). The podcast is hosted by Alejandra Ibarra Chaoul, a prolific journalist who leads DDLD.
One of the season two episodes tells the story of two Indigenous women journalists before they were murdered in 2008, while other episodes highlight the work of other women who continue to report from their local radio stations despite the risks and obstacles. The accounts aim to dispel a misconception that some journalists were killed because they were not careful about risks or they were corrupt themselves.
Promoting Objective Migration Reporting in Colombia
Amid Venezuela’s decade-long humanitarian and political crisis, over 7.7 million people have fled the country. The massive influx of migrants and refugees created a xenophobic backlash in neighboring Colombia. Unfortunately, the message that Venezuelans are unwelcome has negatively influenced objective reporting in the country.
To promote unbiased, respectful reporting, USAID teamed up with Consejo de Redacción (Editorial Board), a Colombian organization of journalists promoting investigative journalism to create an alliance with nearly a dozen regional and national media outlets.
The Proyecto Integra trains journalists on the best approaches for telling migration stories free of discrimination, xenophobia, and misinformation. Migration stories don’t need to be sensational to be compelling, but they do need to portray the migrant experience with honesty and dignity. Watch this reel to learn more.
Empowering Youth to Counter Information Manipulation
As more young people in Latin America and the Caribbean get their news and information from digital sources like social media sites, they need the critical-thinking skills to be responsible and resilient information consumers.
In partnership with IREX, USAID’s CREDIBLE program has trained more than 1,700 youth in information integrity and resilience, enhancing their knowledge and ability to counter information manipulation in Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala.
Through the CREDIBLE program in Guatemala, USAID worked with local media organization Laboratorio de Medios to train 14 young content creators and two journalists from diverse communities in the Alta Verapaz department in the north central part of the country. The program improved the participants’ abilities to identify and counter information manipulation while empowering them to create and disseminate quality content to existing audiences and new ones they typically don’t reach.
The program created a virtual network for youth, too. It gave them a space to discuss the media in a trusted space and share strategies for disseminating information out to their own networks.
As one participant said: “Acquiring these skills was critical for me and I was able to do it in my native Quiche, allowing me to reach a broader audience with content produced.”
About the Authors
Chelsea Milko McAllister is a Senior Communications Advisor in the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Emily Bowman is a Communications Specialist in LAC’s Office of South American Affairs, Venezuela Operating Unit.
