Central America: COVID-19 and the Threat to Press Freedom
The US Agency for Global Media and the El Salvador news portal, Focos TV, organized a virtual conference on the situation regarding regional government restrictions of media and press during the COVID-19 pandemic in Central America.
During the pandemic, restrictions introduced new opportunities for authoritarian leaders that imposed censorship laws, pressure independent outlets, deny access to briefings or events, and increase physical and verbal attacks on reporters.
For two hours, experts and more than 40 participants debated under the moderation of USAGM on how restrictions related to the pandemic have increased threats to press freedom in countries such as Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.