Spanish
Miami/Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic ranked first among 23 countries evaluated in the Chapultepec Index of Freedom of Expression and Press 2025, according to the report published this Tuesday by the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), which points out, however, that "this stability is precarious and is threatened by factors that limit the full exercise of fundamental freedoms".
The country achieved an index of 82.17 points out of 100, being the only country that was located in the 'With Freedom of Expression' range, according to the SIP report, which analyzes the conditions for the exercise of journalism in the Americas.You may be interested in: CDP-DN condemns attacks against journalists and calls press conference
However, "despite maintaining one of the freest environments for journalism in the Americas, this stability is precarious and threatened by factors that limit the full exercise of fundamental freedoms," he pointed out. According to the SIP, the Dominican Republic "is experiencing a critical period for freedom of expression and the press, characterized by a stealthy gag that combines the economic fragility of the media, the discretionary use of state advertising as a tool of control, and the tensions generated by new legislative proposals", including the bill that creates the National Institute of Communication (Inacom), which "poses risks of censorship". "Although the country is internationally recognized for its media openness, it faces significant internal challenges, including the migration of advertising investment to global platforms, which compromises editorial independence and exposes the media to political and commercial pressures," the report added. Furthermore, the speech by the country's president, Luis Abinader, on freedom of the press "is overshadowed by mechanisms of economic pressure". In response to these concerns, journalists have protested against the increase in information barriers. According to the SIP, a key event for the international validation of the Dominican environment was the signing of the "Declaration of Salta II" during the celebration of the 81st General Assembly of the SIP held last October in the town of Punta Cana, east of the Dominican Republic.
