Reporters Without Borders warns of escalating repression in Ecuador and El Salvador.
On Tuesday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released its annual report, highlighting that 18 out of 67 journalists killed in the past year died in Latin America and the Caribbean. The figure represents 26% of all media professionals killed worldwide.
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The RSF report also indicated that 79% of the 67 professionals killed globally in the past 12 months — 64 men and three women — were victims of war or organized crime. The total is one more than last year but far below the 142 recorded in 2012, the highest number in two decades.
With nine journalists killed, Mexico ranks as the second-most dangerous country in the world for the profession, behind Gaza (29) and ahead of Ukraine (3). The list of Mexican journalists killed includes Calletano de Jesus Guerrero, Kristian Martinez, Raul Villarreal, Jose Gonzalez, Angel Sevilla, Melvin Garcia, Ronald Paz Pedro, Miguel Beltran and Salomon Ordoñez.
Ecuador (Patricio Aguilar and Darwin Baque), Haiti (Jimmy Jean and Markenzy Nathoux), Peru (Gaston Medina and Raul Celis), Colombia (Oscar Gomez), Guatemala (Ismael Gonzalez) and Honduras (Javier Hercules) complete the list of LATAM countries where journalists were killed in the line of duty.
Israel killed more journalists in 2025 than any other country, according to a report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) https://t.co/WA5MrbWcAW pic.twitter.com/OW6kDB6WRA
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 9, 2025
So far this year, 40 of the 135 journalists who remain missing worldwide are from Latin American and Caribbean countries. The nations with the highest numbers of missing journalists are Syria (37), Mexico (28) and Iraq (12).
RSF dedicates a special chapter to the repression and obstacles journalists have faced in many countries while reporting on demonstrations, often at the hands of security forces, citing Ecuador in particular.
Since Sept. 22, at least 55 journalists have been attacked by state forces in Ecuador while covering protests against the rise in diesel prices. The latest shooting seriously injured Edison Muenala, a journalist and producer for Apak TV.
Because of wars or repressive policies, more journalists are being forced into exile. This is the case in El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele is “crushing the press” with a “wave of repression” that has swept the country since May. Fifteen Salvadoran journalists in exile are currently receiving emergency assistance from RSF.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet, Honduras’ former president Manuel Zelaya, and the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel, gave a look at Maria Corina Machado’s trajectory. pic.twitter.com/zHZHbPjqxj
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) October 14, 2025
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Sources: RSF – EFE
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