Nicaragua's La Prensa Wins 2025 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Award | UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2025 |
| Recipient | La Prensa (Nicaragua's century-old newspaper) |
| Announcement Date | 3 May 2025 (World Press Freedom Day) |
| Background | - Founded in 1926, La Prensa is one of Nicaragua's oldest and most respected newspapers. |
| - Faced political challenges, censorship, and violent crackdowns over the years. | |
| Repression Context | - Ortega-Murillo regime has escalated attacks on the free press: |
| - Jailed journalists, forced media personnel into exile, confiscated newsroom assets and properties. | |
| About the Prize | - Established in 1997 in honor of Colombian journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza, assassinated in 1986 for criticizing drug cartels. |
| - Recognizes outstanding contributions to defending and promoting press freedom. | |
| Objectives of the Award | - Acknowledge La Prensa's centennial legacy of credible journalism. |
| - Recognize its courageous resistance to state oppression. | |
| - Promote international awareness of press freedom violations in Nicaragua. | |
| Support from Organizations | - CIVICUS and Central American Association for Development and Democracy (ACADD) have lauded La Prensa's win. |
| - Called on the international community to support Nicaraguan journalists facing criminalization and persecution. | |
| Significance | - Reinforces global commitment to freedom of the press. |
| - Highlights threats faced by journalists under authoritarian regimes. | |
| - Acts as a symbol of resistance and hope for media freedom in Central America and beyond. |