OPINION: Panama  heading to be a failed state

“Panamanian journalists critical of government policies and those who cover corruption cases, especially international financial scandals, are in the crosshairs of justice. Self-censorship has grown, as have the advertising contracts that the government assigns to digital media, which limits their independence.”

This is how Reporters Without Borders describes, in its report this year, the situation of the practice of journalism in Panama. The threats against journalists are of an economic and judicial nature since media outlets and reporters are exposed to the kidnapping of their assets and defamation proceedings. Obviously, this means that, firstly, freedom of the press is now a chimera and, secondly, that citizen cannot access public information, especially on state concessions, payroll expenses, investments and subsidies local government budgets, etc. The Government has imposed silence on each request for information with the potential for scandal, and this has found an echo in the National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information. The setback in terms of human rights is worse every day. We are headed to be a failed state – LA PRENSA, May 9.