On 13 April 2026, the Senate decided to postpone the debate on the bill for the protection of journalists and human rights defenders by one week, scheduling the next session for 22 April. The bill had been introduced in Congress in 2023 and was drafted as a necessary measure and a remedy required by a ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR). Since 2023, the bill has already been the subject of public hearings and exhaustive studies, including by civil society organisations which held consultations with the journalists’ union and parliamentary committees. Following positive debates on the bill in late 2025, its approval has been awaited by civil society organisations.
The adoption of the law has been delayed once again by the introduction of an alternative bill by the ruling party, which has been criticised for having been drafted without the involvement of civil society and the affected sectors and for jeopardising the protection of the fundamental rights that the law aims to guarantee. In particular, the alternative bill creates a new unit within the Ministry of the Interior that removes the autonomy of the protection body established in the draft agreed in 2023. Furthermore, it excludes safeguard measures, provides for a discretionary budget to be used by the Ministry of the Interior, and removes any reference to human rights defenders from the bill.
The SSP claims that a law presented as “protection” could in fact undermine the safety and independence of journalism.
The delays, the short reconsideration period and the tabling of an alternative bill that offers weaker protection for journalists are causing uncertainty regarding previous progress towards a robust protection framework, create mistrust regarding the implementation of the measures ordered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and raise fears that restrictions on freedom of expression and public access to information will continue or even worsen if this opportunity to establish a legal framework is missed.