10:00 am, Wednesday, Oct 3rd

Congressional Meeting Room South
Capitol Visitors Center

 

Freedom of the press in Latin America has eroded significantly in the last decade. Reports indicate that the Americas is the only region in the world to experience a decline in press freedom in recent years.  A spike in violence at the hands of criminal groups and fractious government-media relations in some countries has created a fragile, precarious landscape for media outlets and journalists alike. The Committee to Protect Journalists ranks Mexico as the 4th deadliest country in the world for journalists in 2011, up from 17th in 2001. Similarly, Brazil came in at 5th in 2011, while it did not make the top 20 in 2001. Clearly, this downward pattern has significant implications for democracy, human rights, and rule of law in the hemisphere. 

 

Please join Congressman Sam Farr at 10:00 am on Wednesday, October 3rd to discuss these concerning trends and the future of press freedom in Latin America.

 

Commissioner Dinah Shelton

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

 

Joel Simon

Executive Director, Committee to Protect Journalists

 

Delphine Halgand

Washington DC Director, Reporters Without Borders

 

 Moderator

Clare Ribando Seelke

Specialist in Latin American Affairs

Congressional Research Service

 

Freedom of the Press in Latin America is part of an on-going monthly briefing series hosted by Congressman Farr called Latin America on the Rise, which brings in a diversity of speakers to address emerging and emergent issues in the Western Hemisphere. If you have any questions, please contact Caitie Whelan ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).