Between March and July 2026, civil society continued to operate in a formally open civic space, but the renewed State of Emergency increasingly shaped the practical exercise of fundamental freedoms. New protest exclusion zones, arrests linked to public demonstrations, extensive use of preventive detention orders, and concerns about unequal access to legal representation led to heightened scrutiny of emergency powers, due-process protections, and executive oversight. Public discourse also became more polarised, with sharper rhetoric around security, media legitimacy, LGBTQI+ rights and “far-left political terrorism.”
The legal and resource environment remained mixed. More than 3,000 NPOs faced possible suspension or cancellation over Form 6 compliance but coordinated CSO advocacy helped secure a postponement. The Escazú Agreement entered into force, though participation mechanisms remained unclear. New tax incentives and project-based grants created limited opportunities, while the EU’s planned withdrawal by September raised serious concerns about long-term funding for rights-based and governance work. State openness was further questioned by delayed environmental disclosure, contested development approvals, reduced media access and revelations of large-scale communications interception. Digital space remained accessible, but surveillance concerns and incomplete data-protection safeguards risked discouraging open civic communication, despite positive openings through regional cybersecurity cooperation and the Caribbean AI Forum.
