The Central American Network of Journalists is born, a space in defense of freedom of the press and free expression

Central America is a region in which freedom of the press and free expression have been deeply violated in recent years.

According to the Reporters Without Borders

report , Nicaragua ranks 160th out of 180 countries evaluated, while Guatemala and El Salvador rank 124th and 112th, respectively.

Of the entire subcontinent, the worst rated is Honduras in 165th place.

The crisis of democratic governance and the manifestation of an authoritarian wave that persecutes, criminalizes and attacks the voices that criticize power are some of the causes that have led a group of journalists present at the Central American Journalism Forum (ForoCap) - organized by

, to the creation of the Central American Network of Journalists, a "plural space for articulation, public expression and in defense of independent journalism."

Wilfredo Miranda, Nicaraguan journalist and collaborator of EL PAÍS who is in exile in Costa Rica, read the first manifesto of the Central American Network of Journalists in Antigua, Guatemala, the city where ForoCap, a space for dialogue, is being held until November 5. on how to "confront authoritarian drifts and improve journalistic work in the region."

“That is why we are here.

To jointly seek ways that allow us to continue doing our work and as a convincing sign that independent journalists in Central America are not willing to remain silent.

Silence is not an option ”, reads the text that Miranda read and that was spread through Twitter.

The Central American Network of Journalists has just been born in the wonderful space of @foroCAP.

This is his first manifesto.

To the authoritarians we say: for journalists silence is NOT an option 🗣️🗞️📱#RedPeriodistasCA pic.twitter.com/pGlVq6K71c

– Wilfredo Miranda Aburto (@PiruloAr) November 4, 2022

One of the most recent cases of political abuse of journalistic work occurred in Guatemala, with the raid on the offices of

and the arrest of the journalist and president of the outlet, José Rubén Zamora, accused of money laundering.

The also founder of the Guatemalan media has defended himself by stating that the entire process is a "montage" created by the Executive of Alejandro Giammattei due to the publications made by his newspaper.

It is a persecution strategy similar to the one implemented against the journalist Carlos Fernando Chamorro and several others in Nicaragua by the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, as well as by the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, who announced that the Prosecutor's Office would finds himself investigating

a media outlet critical of his government, for money laundering.

The manifesto of the Central American Network of Journalists emphasizes problems such as digital harassment, economic siege, threats, monitoring and permanent blocking of information sources as a constant.

“Governments are using public institutions to harass the media;

and groups of economic, political and military power, as well as organized crime networks, consider independent journalism their enemy, with all that that means,” the letter states.

A single fact serves to give an example of the situation for which the Central American Network of Journalists claims: since 2018 more than 100 Nicaraguan journalists have had to leave their country.

Entire journalistic teams, such as

, the most prestigious and independent written media outlet in Nicaragua, now continue their work from exile.

"It is imperative to unify efforts to face, in a coordinated manner and with a regional perspective, the authoritarian regression and the challenges that this represents for freedom of expression and the exercise of independent journalism," explains the statement in one of its paragraphs.

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