On National Journalist Day, the organization of Independent Journalists and Communications of Nicaragua (PCIN) estimates that 34% of Nicaraguan colleagues have stopped practicing the profession and others have chosen not to address political issues, as part of their security measures. protection against the constant attacks of the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
Nicaraguan journalism is “in crisis, but in force,” points out Martha Irene Sánchez, of the PCIN executive commission. While it is true that “a good part of journalists in exile continue to fight censorship and do so by reporting on what continues to happen in Nicaragua.” We also “see that some colleagues have been self-censoring,” she emphasized.
Since Ortega returned to the Presidency in January 2007, his regime has declared the “war” against the independent press, a total of 57 outlets have been closed.
On March 1, PCIN will present the results of a study on media mapping, carried out with the purpose of knowing the conditions in which Nicaraguan journalists carry out their work and for which they interviewed a sample of 116 communicators. “We found that 34% of the journalists we consulted have stopped practicing,” said Sánchez.
This data “is quite shocking to us because a single journalist who stops working is a hard blow to freedom of the press and freedom of expression,” he continued.
Among the journalists who have stopped practicing, there are those who are unemployed, others who carry out academic work that is not related to journalism or provide business communication services.
Also, there are journalists who “have chosen not to address issues that make the regime uncomfortable, (mainly) political issues or issues related to the human rights crisis that the country is going through,” Sánchez explained. “We know these are valid actions, but it alarms us,” she said.
21 journalists in “stateless” status
The PCIN manages information so that the 21 journalists stripped of their Nicaraguan nationality —for denouncing from exile the serious human rights violations committed in Nicaragua— can decide whether to adopt any of the nationalities offered by the governments of Spain, Chile , Colombia, Argentina and Mexico.
The stripping of nationality “has had an emotional impact on the people affected, especially since the majority are in exile, some already had refuge in Costa Rica and others are in the process” and there is still “no clear position” from the Costa Rican government Sanchez commented.
The journalists or media workers stripped of their Nicaraguan nationality are:
- Miguel Mendoza, sportswriter and blogger
- Miguel Mora, co-founder and director of 100% News
- Cristiana Chamorro, from the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation and La Prensa
- Juan Lorenzo Holamann, from La Prensa
- Camilo de Castro Belli, journalist and filmmaker
- Carlos Fernando Chamorro, director of CONFIDENCIAL and Esta Semana
- Sofía Montenegro, journalist and sociologist
- Patricia Orozco, former director of Onda Local and director of Agenda Propia
- Álvaro Navaro, director of Article 66
- Wilfredo Miranda, founding journalist of Divergentes
- Anibal Toruño, marketer by profession and director of Radio Darío
- Silvia Nadine Gutiérrez, journalist and activist
- Wilberto Artola, journalist from the Diocese of Matagalpa
- Manuel Antonio Obando, journalist from the Diocese of Matagalpa
- Sergio Cárdenas, cameraman from the Diocese of Matagalpa
- Jennifer Ortiz, director of Nicaragua Investiga
- Lucía Pineda, co-founder and director of 100% Noticias
- David Quintana, journalist for Boletín Ecológico
- Santiago Aburto, political commentator
- Luis Galeano, director of Café con Voz
- Manuel Díaz, director of Bancanalnica
In addition to the workers of the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation:
- walter gomez
- Mark Freight
- Pedro Vazquez
And the conductors of La Prensa:
- carlos lam
- Mario Sanchez
