The director general of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Thibaut Bruttin, warned of the danger posed to journalism in Latin America by several presidents following Donald Trump’s playbook, which he described as hostile toward the press. In an interview with AFP during a visit to Guatemala that began Monday, Bruttin said he regretted that the Trump approach has become a model for presidents such as El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, whom RSF has accused of systematic attacks on critical media outlets.
In a regional report, RSF also points to Argentine President Javier Milei for stigmatizing journalists. Bruttin lamented that journalists continue to be targets of criminal violence and are being forced into exile by authoritarian governments. He also expressed concern about the impact of artificial intelligence on the press.
QUESTION: How do you assess press freedom under the Trump administration?
ANSWER: Donald Trump is more a consequence of news deserts than the person responsible for them. He is trying to restrict media access, turn hostile rhetoric toward the media into a weapon, and cut off funding for news outlets. His example is inspiring other leaders on a global scale, whether intentionally or simply because it has been successful.
Q: Whom does he inspire?
A: There are political changes in Latin America, with people being elected who are more aligned with Trump’s approach to public debate. There is no need to mention Bukele in El Salvador, but it is also clear that José Antonio Kast, the far-right figure in Chile, is giving new momentum to the situation.
The idea is that you can be elected not despite the media, but because you verbally attack the media. People who align themselves with Trump do so because of values, but also because of a method that is hostile to the press. And Trump’s playbook is a dangerous playbook for journalists.
Q: What should be done in response to that playbook?
A: It is necessary to stand up to Trump. It is clear that his behavior seriously worsens the situation of the press and tries to make people turn away from the media. That is why it is important to remind people of the obvious, to remind them what a free press can contribute in terms of added value to society, that facts are not opinions, and that if you do not have access to journalism, you are being deprived of your right to know.
Q: What other concerns does RSF have in Latin America?
A: Latin America is suffering significant deterioration. In some situations journalists are being killed, as we have seen on a massive scale in Mexico over recent decades, or with renewed violence in Ecuador, for example. We are concerned about violence against journalists, and no country is immune to violence. But sometimes what dies is journalism, not journalists.
More than 200 journalists have gone into exile from Nicaragua, and we are seeing journalists leaving Honduras as well. Journalists in Guatemala also fear being subjected to legal proceedings and have chosen to leave for other countries.
Q: How can exiled journalists be helped?
A: Journalists are not just any migrants. They want to resume their work as soon as possible. In Nicaragua, a large number of journalists fled to Costa Rica. They need legal status to keep working. And we also have to address the issue of security, because sometimes they face transnational repression.
It is a tragedy when journalists have to go into exile. We can help with funding, sometimes with administrative assistance to obtain visas, and help them relocate.
Q: How does AI affect journalism?
A: With ChatGPT and other large language models, AI is really striking at the core of the profession, which is content production. There is a sense of panic, and that is legitimate. I do not think AI is going to replace journalism, but journalists who use AI will replace those who do not.
That is why we believe it is necessary to adopt this new technology responsibly, so that it can be used to benefit reliable information.
