Mexico fell five positions in the Chapultepec Index of Freedom of Expression and Press 2025, ranking 18th out of 23 countries evaluated in the Americas and the Caribbean. This reflects a deterioration in the conditions for journalism in the country, according to a report released this Tuesday by the Inter American Press Society (SIP). According to the report, Mexico obtained 34.9 points out of a maximum of 100, placing it in the category of 'high restriction' for the exercise of press freedom on the continent. The rating also represents a drop of 8.6 points compared to the previous year, the most significant decline since the first edition of the index in 2020. The study, which evaluates the period from November 2, 2024, to November 1, 2025, covering almost the first year of President Claudia Sheinbaum's government, warns that one of the most critical aspects for Mexico is the state's response to violence and impunity against journalists. In this dimension, Mexico obtained only 6.93 points out of 40 possible, one of the lowest scores among the analyzed countries. In terms of 'Informed Citizen and Free to Express', the country reached 8.91 points out of 30, while in 'Media Control and Journalism' it recorded 19.06 out of 30, the best-performing section within the index. In the regional context, Mexico is positioned below most countries on the continent and only surpasses Haiti, Cuba, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. In contrast, the top positions in the ranking were occupied by the Dominican Republic, Chile, and Canada. The results show that although there are spaces for the functioning of the media, structural problems persist linked to violence against journalists, impunity, and limitations for the full exercise of freedom of expression. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) data, since the year 2000, more than 150 journalists have been killed and at least 28 remain missing in Mexico, which keeps it among the most dangerous countries in the world to practice journalism outside of war zones.
