AMLO’s project to absorb decentralized entities under the orbit of the national state
Mexico Impact | Negative CIVICUS Rating | Repressed On February 4, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador publicly stated that it is a government priority to promote a public administration reform that contemplates the absorption of 16 decentralized agencies by national state secretariats, among them the Executive Secretariat of the National Anticorruption System (SE-SNA in Spanish). […]
The ruling party reforms the Supreme Court of Justice
Venezuela Impact | Negative CIVICUS Rating | Restricted On January 19, the law for the reform of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ in Spanish) was published in the Official Gazette. The law contemplates a reduction in the number of magistrates, from a total of 32 to 20 members. The reduction takes place both in […]
According to Human Rights Watch, fundamental freedoms suffered setbacks across the region
Latin America On January 13, the CSO presented its annual report in which it points out that Human Rights and fundamental freedoms have suffered significant setbacks in Latin America and the Caribbean during the year 2021. Among the main problems at the regional level are the deterioration of detention conditions in prisons, the constant abuses […]
Use of Pegasus in cyberespionage of journalists and opponents confirmed
El Salvador Impact | Negative Civicus Rating | Obstructed On January 12, the joint research of the multidisciplinary laboratory of the University of Toronto, The Citizen Lab, and the CSO Access Now revealed that between July 2020 and November 2022, 35 people were affected by the Pegasus spying software, among them watchdog journalists and members […]
New tax rules benefit civil society organizations
Mexico Impact | Positive CIVICUS rating | Open On December 30, 2021, in a resolution published in the Official Journal of the Federation, the government announced the new tax regulations for civil organizations. Among its most important aspects is the possibility to deduct taxes on donations. Organizations that intend to benefit from this regulation must […]
Foreign Agents Law: what does it imply for Salvadoran civil society and what are the precedents in the region?
Latin America In recent weeks, there has been growing concern over the possible sanction in El Salvador of a Foreign Agents Bill that would oblige civil society organizations that receive foreign funding to register in a registry, channel the flow of funds through supervised financial institutions and pay a 40% tax. For President Nayib Bukele, […]
Public infrastructure works, declared a national security issue
Mexico Impact | Negative Civicus Rating | Repressed On November 22, Andrés Manuel López Obrador declared of public interest and national security the projects and works in charge of the national government, a measure that would also allow him to reject requests for access to information under the principle of confidentiality. The agreement establishes a […]
Concern grows over possible cyber-surveillance of journalists, activists and opponents
El Salvador Impact | Negative Civicus Rating| Obstructed On November 23, a group of journalists, opposition politicians and CSO referents received an alert on their cell phones from Apple, warning them that they could be victims of espionage by “state-sponsored attackers” due to their activity and interference in the political and social life of the […]
Consensus building on police reform is moving forward
Colombia Impact | Positive Probability | High Civicus Rating | Repressed On November 22, nine presidential pre-candidates discussed one of the most sensitive issues in Colombian politics today: the need for police reform in light of the institutional violence recorded in recent years. The meeting organized by El Espectador was attended by Roy Barreras (La […]
Bill to protect the rights of the Community Action Boards moves forward
Colombia Impact | Positive Probability | High Civicus Rating | Repressed On November 18, the Seventh Committee approved a bill that establishes norms for the protection of the human rights of social leaders who are part of Community Action Organizations. The Community Action Boards are civil organizations with wide geographical coverage that encourage citizen participation […]