Toxic Environments: Censorship comparison between El Salvador, Cuba, and Venezuela

These three nations are some of the most dangerous when it comes to press freedom in Latin America, and the world itself. Governments in these countries censor the press in a variety of ways, from limiting information access to attacks on journalists. In the World Freedom Index made by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a non-profit focused on promoting freedom of information, out of 180 countries El Salvador is ranked 112, Cuba 173, and Venezuela 159, where the higher the score, the less freedom there is. Similar to the analysis made by Reporters Without Borders, this spotlight will focus on three of the indicators used to evaluate freedom of information: political context, legal context, and how safe journalists are.

Political Context

The political context section refers to pressures put on the media by the state and politicians. 

In El Salvador, President Bukele often refers to the media as the “enemy of the people”. Journalists who have written critically about the President often face investigations and public defamation. For instance, after claiming that the country’s main independent media outlets were lying, Bukele announced an ongoing investigation of El Faro, one of the top media companies, for money laundering without providing any evidence. El Faro reported that the President was negotiating with one of the largest gangs in the country, MS-13, asking them to reduce the murders being committed in exchange for better prison conditions for gang members. Despite producing official government documents as evidence, the government has denied these accusations and has announced the opening of an investigation to look into the alleged negotiations. Apart from this, government officials often push disinformation campaigns on social media and the media in general.

One of the worst-rated countries for journalism on RSF’s list is Cuba, ranked 173 out of 180. Cuba’s one-party socialist system allows the government to have full control over almost every aspect of life, including the media. While there is supposed to be freedom of press, there is no private ownership of any media entity and any criticism of the government is prevented by police and other authorities. Due to media outlets being under state control, there is no need for threats or accusations on journalists like government officials in El Salvador and Venezuela do.

The Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, who was re-elected in disputed elections in 2018, has extensive powers. The judicial branch is considered an extension of the executive, which puts it at risk for external influence by the President and bribery from other actors. While only 5% of media companies are state-owned, Maduro has the power to interrupt any program for speeches, just like his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, famously did during his opposition’s speech prior to an election. Following this line, the current President has forced all channels to air a short defaming clip, accusing his main opponent, Leopoldo López, and his supporters of being facists. Companies themselves are often accused of being under the influence of foreign institutions or governments, which can lead them to be shut down.

Legal Context

The legal context section investigates whether or not the law allows for freedom of the press.

El Salvador’s Congress passed a law that promised prison time for journalists who “disseminate messages from gangs”, with a sentence of anywhere from 10 to 15 years. However, this law also expands the government's control of the media, limiting what the press can report on, as anything that causes panic based on gang reports could be deemed arrestable. While the Constitution does provide freedom of press, as stated previously, the government does censor certain items. An example was the declaration of all information and data relating to the COVID-19 pandemic confidential.

As the country is under the control of one party and the President, Cuba does not allow for any independent journalism. There are some bloggers who attempt to share what is happening on the island, however, anyone who speaks out against the government is arrested. The government also has complete control over the internet and limits citizens' access to many websites. 

In Venezuela, Article 57 of the Constitution states that everyone is able to freely express their thoughts and ideas. Along with this, Article 58 claims that everyone has the right to information without censorship. Despite these being enshrined in the constitution, there is no system or institution in place to ensure that these rights are not violated. While there is often no direct censorship, Maduro uses accusations and harassment techniques to influence how the public thinks about certain companies in an attempt to silence said groups.

Journalist Safety

This section is centered around how safe journalists are, considering anything from threats to murders.

Journalists are not safe in El Salvador, but their lives are often also not private. Many journalists have been hacked and have had their electronics tapped, after being critical of President Bukele and his government. Moreover, the physical safety of journalists is constantly compromised, with many being assaulted, and some even killed. Journalists in El Salvador often receive threats from government officials and gangs. 

In Cuba, independent journalists are extremely unsafe and face long prison sentences or even death for doing their work. Even foreign journalists in Cuba are regulated by the government. They can have their credentials revoked, be deported, or even be arrested for going against the regime. Yoani Sánchez, a blogger who writes about life in Cuba has been harassed, assaulted, and arrested. Another journalist, Mabel Páez ended up heavily injured after being assaulted when her home was broken into. Attacks like these are believed to be orchestrated by the government’s regime.

According to the RSF, journalists are in danger in Venezuela. Often prior to elections, there are multiple reports of attacks and beatings carried out on independent journalists. As Maduro controls the executive branch and the security services, these cases are often not looked into or solved. For example, the National Union of Journalists’ office was destroyed in an arson attack, and the group has yet to hear anything from the police. The targeted organization claims that this was an attempt to silence it, and this is not the only example of censorship being carried out by the government.

Conclusion

All three of these Latin American countries pose different dangers for journalists. But the RSF’s ranking system is accurate, made evident by the in-depth information provided in this spotlight. As technology and civilizations advance, so do censorship techniques. While two nations in this spotlight, El Salvador and Venezuela, do not have extreme direct censorship, they use other techniques to silence the media and control what their populations can see. This allows them to present themselves as free and welcoming for journalists, while they consistently limit press freedom below the surface. As a strict socialist regime, Cuba does not allow freedom of press whatsoever, which makes them one of the worst-ranked nations for journalists. Without free media, citizens are fed government propaganda, ending up with an authoritarian regime able to establish any narrative.