Violence against journalists in South America

Argentina and Brazil (2008 to 2024)

Abstract

In this article, we analyze aspects of violence against journalists perpetrated by the populist leaderships of Jair Bolsonaro and Javier Milei. The main objective is to identify patterns of attacks on journalists in Brazil and Argentina, as well as the possible differences and similarities in the public stances of Bolsonaro and Milei on this issue. To this end, we employ a multimethod approach: 1) a literature review on the topic of violence against journalists in the context of the rise of far-right populisms; 2) an analysis of violence reports against journalists in both countries published by the Foro de Periodismo Argentino in Argentina and the National Federation of Journalists in Brazil; and 3) conducting semi-structured interviews with leaders of professional organizations in both countries.