Constitutional Court annulled a regulation on the progressive use of public force
Ecuador Impact | Positive Civicus Rating | Obstructed On May 5, the Constitutional Court (CC) declared the unconstitutionality of the Regulations for the Progressive, Rational and Differentiated Use of Force by Armed Forces personnel in the face of meetings, demonstrations and disturbances resulting in “situations of serious internal commotion”. In the ruling, the CC argues […]
Police reform: a long overdue issue brought to the fore by the National Strike
Colombia Impact | Negative Civicus Rating | Repressed The death toll from police crackdowns on protests since April already exceeds 50 according to Indepaz and the NGO Temblores, while official sources put the figure at 27. With this, an issue that was high on the agenda in 2019 has gained renewed profile: the need to […]
Constitutional Court endorsed a law restricting civil society organizations
Guatemala Impact | Negative Civicus Rating | Obstructed On May 12, the Constitutional Court decided to annul the provisional injunction suspending the entry into force of a reform to the Law on Non-Governmental Organizations for Development, enacted in February 2020. With this decision, the government – through the Ministry of the Interior – is empowered […]
INAI and IFT challenged a decree involving data collection from cell phone users
Mexico Impact | Negative Civicus Rating | Repressed At the end of April, the National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data (INAI, in Spanish) filed an action of unconstitutionality before the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) against the decree that creates a registry of cell phone users […]
Reforms to restrict protests during election campaigns already in force
Nicaragua Impact | Negative Civicus Rating | Repressed After an express legislative treatment, on May 5, the government promulgated the reform to the Electoral Law presented by ruling party deputies of Frente Sandinista and endorsed by President Daniel Ortega. Among other points, the new law obliges political parties to request authorization from the National Police […]
The Assembly strips newspapers of tax benefits and closes its doors to journalists.
El Salvador Impact | Negative Civicus Rating | Obstructed On May 5, during its second plenary session, the new Assembly approved a reform to the Printing Law eliminating tax exemptions favoring printed newspapers. The initiative, presented by the deputy of Nuevas Ideas Christian Guevara, was supported by deputies of the ruling party and allies and […]
The new Legislative Assembly aligned with the ruling party threatens judicial independence
El Salvador Impact | Negative Civicus Rating | Obstructed On May 1st, a new period of legislative sessions began with the inauguration of the 84 deputies elected on February 28, a day in which the ruling party, represented by the Nuevas Ideas party, secured its own majority. In the inaugural session, the 56 ruling party […]
Special committee created by the Assembly to investigate NGOs receiving public funds
El Salvador Impact | Negative Civicus Rating | Obstructed The Committee, formed entirely by deputies of the ruling bloc and allies, began working on May 20. The list of the organizations to be investigated has not been made public so far. However, threatening remarks on Twitter by officials and deputies appear to implicate 24 NGOs. […]
Ruling party deputy promotes a bill to guarantee the professional secrecy of journalists
Mexico Impact | Positive Probability | Medium Civicus Rating | Repressed On April 19, the Justice Committee of the Chamber of Deputies approved a bill that seeks to give greater guarantees of protection to the professional secrecy of journalists, and by extension, to the right to freedom of expression. It does so by adding journalists […]
Ruling party promotes a bill to control social demonstrations during the electoral campaign
Nicaragua Impact | Negative Probability | High Civicus Rating | Repressed On April 12, ruling party deputies of the Sandinista Front presented before the National Assembly a bill to reform the Electoral Law. Among other points, the bill intends to oblige political parties to request authorization from the National Police to carry out public demonstrations […]