A coordinated smear campaign and series of intimidation efforts have been escalating against Prensa Comunitaria Kilómetro 169, an independent Guatemalan media outlet known for its investigative reporting on human rights abuses, environmental conflicts, and corruption. The campaign has particularly targeted co-founder and journalist Nelton Rivera, a prominent figure in community-based journalism in Guatemala.
On April 4, 2025, an anonymous post on X (formerly Twitter) alleged that Rivera and Prensa Comunitaria were under investigation by the Guatemalan Prosecutor’s Office. The post used threatening language, called for Rivera’s detention, and included a photograph of him along with the outlet’s logo—escalating what has become a systematic pattern of online harassment and defamation.
The attacks, which began intensifying in February 2025, consist of over 20 defamatory social media messages. These posts often originate from anonymous or pseudonymous accounts and allege, without evidence, that Prensa Comunitaria spreads misinformation, receives political funding (including from USAID), and has ties to criminal organizations—claims widely seen as efforts to discredit their journalism. Some of the accounts appear to be linked to other media outlets, raising concerns about coordinated disinformation.
Rivera, a historian, editor, and photojournalist, has contributed to international investigative projects such as Green Blood and Mining Secrets. His work, and that of Prensa Comunitaria, is grounded in community-level reporting, often led by Indigenous journalists from the q’anjob’al, k’iché’, q’eqchi, pocomchi’, kaqchikel, chuj, and mestizo populations.
Beyond the online attacks, threats have also emerged offline. In December 2024, following an interview with the Governor of Chiquimula, a Prensa Comunitaria journalist was pursued by a pickup truck, from which shots were fired into the air. In February 2025, Rafael Curruchiche, head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity (FECI), publicly accused Prensa Comunitaria of receiving foreign funds in an interview with Canal Antigua, implying forthcoming legal scrutiny. Additionally, a journalist was reportedly offered a municipal contract by the vice-mayor of El Estor, allegedly in exchange for favorable coverage—after the journalist had reported on health service deficiencies in the region.
Prensa Comunitaria has also been subject to public accusations by local politicians. The former governor of Quetzaltenango, responding to a report published by the outlet in early February, labeled it “reactionary ideological press,” and accused one of its writers of benefiting from corruption.
Human rights organization Front Line Defenders has condemned the harassment, stating that the campaign against Rivera and his colleagues is “a blatant attempt to delegitimise” their journalism and silence critical reporting. In an April 2025 statement, the organization called on Guatemalan authorities to publicly denounce the smear efforts, ensure an impartial investigation, and guarantee the safety and freedom of all journalists and human rights defenders in the country.
Prensa Comunitaria’s work—often at odds with powerful interests in Guatemala—has drawn international recognition for exposing systemic issues tied to extractive industries and state violence. The current attacks threaten not only the safety of individual journalists but also the broader fight for press freedom and Indigenous rights in the region.
References:
- Front Line Defenders. (2025, April). Smear Campaign and Harassment Against Prensa Comunitaria. https://www.frontlinedefenders.org
- Canal Antigua (Interview with Rafael Curruchiche, February 14, 2025).
- Prensa Comunitaria Kilómetro 169. https://prensacomunitaria.org
