Tension has been escalating between the Organisation of American States' Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression and Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa. Special Rapporteur Catalina Botero has turned a watchful eye towards Ecuador, criticising President Correa's attacks on the news media. Botero's office has now come under fire, after President Correa and President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela dismissed criticism from Botero's office, claiming that the office is too harsh with governments of nations such as Ecuador.

Ana Arana

A barely concealed battle is brewing in Guatemala over the legacy of the 38-year civil war which ended in 1996. It has affected press freedom, especially journalists who write about human rights abuses during the civil conflict. Recently, three journalists were included in a demand put before the Guatemalan Courts, which charges more than 50 people with human rights abuses, including kidnappings and murders carried out by Guatemalan guerrilla forces during the war.

Threats against freedom of the press in Guatemala have been highlighted by the case of freelance journalist Lucia Escobar. While government directed attacks against the press are not currently an issue, paramilitary groups could still pose a threat to journalists. Death threats forced Escobar to flee her home with her family after she denounced a vigilante group in the town of Panajachel.

Ana Arana

The website of the weekly newspaper Riodoce was taken down by a cyber attack. The DDoS attack follows the murders of two unidentified twitter users in Nuevo Laredo and the slaying of two workers of an Internet news site and blog. All occurred in the same state, Sinaloa, which is a hub for organised crime in Mexico.

Ana Arana