Americas

Countries & Territories: 38
940 million people
69% free
Press:
48% free

News & Updates

Press Release

La sentencia contra el periódico El Universo es un retroceso para la libertad de prensa

Feb 17 2012 - 2:32pm

Freedom House condena enérgicamente la decisión de la Corte Nacional de Justicia de Ecuador de ratificar la sentencia contra El Universo presentada por el Presidente Rafael Correa. El día 15 de febrero, la Corte Nacional en Quito rechazó la apelación de El Universo, ratificando la sentencia de tres años de prisión para los tres ejecutivos del periódico y el pago de $40 millones de dólares de indemnización a favor del Presidente Correa.

Issues: 
Internet Freedom, Media Freedom, Rule of Law
Regions: 
Americas
Press Release

Ruling Against Ecuadorean Newspaper El Universo a Step Backwards for Press Freedom

Feb 16 2012 - 5:50pm

Freedom House strongly condemns Ecuadorean Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the sentence against newspaper El Universo brought by President Rafael Correa. Yesterday, Quito’s high court rejected the appeal filed by the newspaper and upheld the prison sentence of three years against three executives, and a fine for $40 million for libel against President Correa. 
Read the press release in Spanish here.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Americas
Freedom Alert

Journalist killed in Brazil

Feb 15 2012 - 3:39pm

Freedom House condemns the killing of Paulo Roberto Cardoso Rodrigues, the editor for local newspapers Jornal da Praça and Mercosul News, on February 13 in Brazil, and asks authorities to thoroughly and promptly investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression, Internet Freedom, Media Freedom
Regions: 
Americas
In the News

Venezuela's voices of opposition

Feb 14 2012 - 10:23am

Viviana Giacaman, director for Latin America programs, speaks with Al Jazeera's Inside Story about Venezuela's recent primary elections.

Issues: 
Civil Society, Elections
Regions: 
Americas

Experts

Giacaman, Viviana

Viviana Giacaman is the director for Latin America programs at Freedom House.

Antigua and Barbuda
88 thousand people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Argentina
40 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Bahamas
357 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Barbados
274 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Belize
318 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Bolivia
10 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Brazil
197 million people
Internet:
Free
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
29 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Canada
34 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Chile
17 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Colombia
47 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Costa Rica
4.7 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Cuba
11 million people
Internet:
Not Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Not Free
Scores Overview
6.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
87 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Dominica
73 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Dominican Republic
10 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Ecuador
15 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
El Salvador
6.2 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Grenada
105 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Guatemala
15 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Guyana
757 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Haiti
10 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Honduras
7.8 million people
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Jamaica
2.7 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Mexico
115 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
32 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Nicaragua
5.9 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
4.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Panama
3.6 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Paraguay
6.6 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
3.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Peru
29 million people
Press:
Partly Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.5 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
St. Kitts and Nevis
50 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
St. Lucia
172 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Suriname
529 thousand people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Trinidad and Tobago
1.3 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
2.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
United States
312 million people
Internet:
Free
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
13 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Uruguay
3.4 million people
Press:
Free
Status
Free
Scores Overview
1.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
Venezuela
29 million people
Internet:
Partly Free
Press:
Not Free
Status
Partly Free
Scores Overview
5.0 / 7 (least free)
Freedom Rating
46 / 100 (most free)
Internet Freedom
Falkland Islands
Scores Overview
French Guiana
Scores Overview

Countries & Territories

Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Falkland Islands
French Guiana
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Puerto Rico
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Lucia
St. Vincent and Grenadines
Suriname
Trinidad and Tobago
United States
Uruguay
Venezuela

Programs

Derecho a Voz (The Right to a Voice) - International Advocacy

Freedom House promotes civil society engagement with the Organization of American States and the United Nations by preparing and bringing activists from different countries to international forums

Issues: 
Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression, Intergovernmental Bodies, United Nations
Regions: 
Americas

Venezuela

Over the past 12 years, Venezuela has seen a steady decline in democratic governance resulting in a more restrictive environment for activists and the press.

Issues: 
Democratic Governance, Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression
Regions: 
Americas

Nicaragua

Nicaragua has experienced decay in democratic governance as the official party has taken control over state institutions resulting in less transparency and accountability, including the recent elec

Issues: 
Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression
Regions: 
Americas

Mexico

Mexico is among the most dangerous countries in the world to practice journalism.

Issues: 
Freedom of Expression
Regions: 
Americas

Ecuador

In less than five years since taking office, President Rafael Correa has turned Ecuador into one of the more restrictive countries for freedom of expression in Latin America and taken steps to assault freedom of association.

Issues: 
Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression
Regions: 
Americas

Cuba

Cuba is the only country in the Americas that consistently makes Freedom House’s list of the Worst of the Worst: the World’s Most Repressive Societies for widespread abuses of political ri

Issues: 
Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights
Regions: 
Americas

Bolivia

Civil society is witnessing increased restrictions for freedom of Association and Assembly.

Issues: 
Freedom of Association, Freedom of Expression
Regions: 
Americas

Americas

The Americas are second only to Western Europe in levels of freedom and the respect for human rights.  Nonetheless, a rise in violent crime and in populist governments with authoritarian tendencies

Regions: 
Americas