Bolivia / Americas

  
The Bolivian parliament is seen in La Paz on April 29, 2020. Bolivia recently passed an emergency decree broadening criminal sanctions for spreading disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. (Reuters/David Mercado)

Bolivian decree broadens criminal sanctions for disinformation on COVID-19

Editors’ Note: On May 14, after CPJ published this article, the Bolivian representative to the Organization of American States announced that the government had issued a new decree eliminating the language that CPJ objected to in Decree 4231, and two other passages that had raised freedom of expression concerns, according to news reports and a…

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Police are seen in La Paz, Bolivia, on April 5, 2020. Bolivian cartoonist Abel Bellido Córdoba recently received death threats for his work. (Reutesr/David Mercado)

Bolivian cartoonist Abel Bellido Córdoba receives death threats

Since April 5, 2020, multiple Facebook users have sent death threats to Bolivian cartoonist Abel Bellido Córdoba, he told CPJ in a phone interview.

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A military police officer is seen in El Alto, Bolivia, on April 3, 2020. Bolivia recently enacted a decree criminalizing ‘disinformation’ on the COVID-19 outbreak. (AFP/Aizar Raldes)

Bolivia enacts decree criminalizing ‘disinformation’ on COVID-19 outbreak

Bogotá, April 9, 2020 — Bolivian authorities should reform the country’s lockdown decree to ensure that journalists cannot face jail time for reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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A demonstrator gestures during a protest in La Paz on November 9, 2019. Several news outlets were attacked and threatened over the weekend, following unrest that led to the resignation of President Evo Morales. (Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach)

Bolivian news outlets attacked, threatened amid unrest as Morales resigns

New York, November 11, 2019—Several news outlets in Bolivia were attacked or threatened and at least four had to temporarily cease broadcasting over the weekend, following weeks of uncertainty and protests over contested October 20 elections that led yesterday to President Evo Morales announcing his resignation.

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Anti-government protesters are seen in La Paz, Bolivia, on October 31, 2019. Camera operator Daynor Flores Quispe was injured by an explosive amid the protests. (AP/Juan Karita)

Bolivian camera operator injured by explosive amid post-election protests

On October 31, 2019, Bolivian camera operator Daynor Flores Quispe was injured in an explosion while covering a protest in La Paz, the capital, according to news reports.

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Bolivian journalist Amalia Pando is seen in her makeshift office; she was formerly a ubiquitous presence on Bolivian radio and TV. (CPJ/John Otis)

Forced out of jobs and sidelined, Bolivia’s independent journalists see their audience slipping away

Amalia Pando was once a ubiquitous presence on Bolivian radio and TV, hosting some of the country’s most popular news and political commentary programs. At age 66, she’s still at it, but her audience is a sliver of what it once was.

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A volunteer works to put out a forest fire in Quitunuquina, on the outskirts of Robore, Bolivia, on August 24, 2019. Bolivia’s forest fires have exposed the numerous risks faced by environmental reporters. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Bolivia’s forest fires expose risks for environmental reporters

When Pablo Ortiz, a veteran reporter for El Deber, the main daily in the eastern city of Santa Cruz, set off to cover massive forest fires, he didn’t realize how dangerous the assignment would be.

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Bolivian President Evo Morales is seen in La Paz on August 7, 2019. Bolivia’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal recently restricted the dissemination of a public poll that showed Morales in a tight race in next month's election. (Reuters/David Mercado)

Bolivian court restricts publication of poll showing tight re-election race for President Morales

Bogotá, September 17, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned a decision by Bolivia’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal to restrict the dissemination of a public opinion poll, and urged authorities to allow journalists to report freely on elections.

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Bolivian radio journalist under house arrest, facing charges after covering protest

Bogotá, September 5, 2017–Bolivian authorities must drop charges against a radio journalist arrested while covering a violent demonstration last week in the capital city of La Paz, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Bolivian President Evo Morales attends a conference at the Vatican, April 15, 2016. (AP/Andrew Medichini)

Bolivian president’s criminal defamation suit threatens press freedom

New York, August 4, 2016 – Bolivian President Evo Morales should immediately drop a criminal defamation suit against a journalist that could have a chilling effect on press freedom in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Bolivian criminal court justice René Delgado announced yesterday that he would hear a case Morales filed…

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