Press freedom in Argentina is deteriorating dramatically under President Javier Milei's government, a respected media watchdog warned Friday, citing attempts to "stigmatise" journalists and “dismantle public media.”
The annual ranking published by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) press watchdog showed that Argentina has now fallen to 87th place out of 180 countries – a dramatic slide of 47 places since Milei took office in December 2023.
The drop of 21 positions year-on-year is one of the steepest global declines, with only Samoa and Kyrgyzstan faring worse over the past 12 months.
RSF blamed “authoritarian shifts” for a general fall in press freedom worldwide and, in its report, accused President Milei of attacking journalists, dismantling public media and weaponising state advertising.
“Insults, defamation, and threats from Javier Milei’s administration toward journalists and media critical of his regime have become commonplace since he took office. In addition, new policies worsen pre-existing trends, such as the high concentration and lack of transparency in media ownership and the increasing precariousness of the journalism profession,” wrote the report’s authors.
Looking north, it also warned of that US President Donald Trump’s second term had delivered “a troubling deterioration in press freedom” in the United States.
‘Encouraging hostility’
Argentina’s Milei “is encouraging hostility towards journalists and delivering attacks aimed at discrediting the media and journalists critical of his policies,” warned RSF, highlighting that online trolls and backers normally back up his abuse.
The report comes as Milei and his allies intensify their offensive against the press ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
The President frequently rails against journalists on social media, targeting them individually, branding critical outlets as corrupt or “on the take.” In a recent post, he even claimed that Argentines “don’t hate journalists enough.”
Two weeks ago, he described reporters as “hitmen with press credentials” and “criminals with microphones” – the latest in a series of insults.
Milei’s constant attacks have drawn criticism from press freedom advocates. Both Argentina’s National Academy of Journalism and the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) expressed alarm over Milei’s rhetoric, warning against the dangers of stigmatising the media.
The IAPA urged him to adopt “a more tolerant tone” and uphold democratic standards in his communication with the press.
RSF has also flagged Argentina’s economic pressures, noting a wave of media closures linked to financial instability.
Milei’s rhetoric is echoed by his supporters. Earlier this week, libertarian influencer Daniel ‘Gordo Dan’ Parisini called on Milei to jail a journalist “by decree, like Alfonsín did” – referencing a controversial 1985 decision by former president Raúl Alfonsín during a state of siege. That order, tied to a supposed coup plot, led to the arrest of 12 people, including a journalist and political analysts — all of whom, apart from one former general, were later cleared.
When veteran journalist Gabriel Levinas criticised the social media post as incorrect, Parisini doubled down, publicly urging Milei: “Javo, can you lock up Gabriel Levinas?”
His remarks were swiftly amplified by other prominent voices. For ex
Right-wing commentator Agustín Laje claimed that journalism’s traditional role as a “guardian of truth” was over.
Since taking office on December 10, 2023, President Milei has not held a single press conference.
He has only granted interviews to a small, carefully chosen circle of journalists — almost always in pre-recorded formats rather than live broadcasts.
‘Authoritarian shifts’
RSF also warned about "an alarming deterioration in press freedom" in the United States under President Trump, as well as "unprecedented" difficulties for independent journalists around the world.
The Paris-based group, which has been tracking press freedom for the last 23 years, said its main index had fallen to its lowest-ever level.
"For the first time in the history of the index, the conditions for practising journalism are poor in half of the world's countries and satisfactory in fewer than one in four," an annual review of media freedom globally by the charity concluded.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), another media watchdog, also warned Wednesday that press freedom in the United States was declining and it urged newsrooms to form a united front against the "rising tide of threats" facing them.
RSF also again highlighted the plight of Palestinian journalists seeking to report on Israel's devastating bombardment of Gaza.
"In Gaza, the Israeli Army has destroyed newsrooms, killed nearly 200 journalists and imposed a total blockade on the strip for over 18 months," it said.
Israel meanwhile had dropped a further 11 places to 112th and "continues to repress its own news media.”
Across the wider region, “the most significant setbacks in the Americas region can also be explained by authoritarian shifts,” said RSF.
“In Argentina, President Javier Milei stigmatised journalists, dismantled public media outlets, and used state advertising as a political weapon,” the report states.
Nearly one-third of the countries surveyed face similar threats, but Argentina stands out for the combination of structural crisis and state-led hostility.
Globally, the NGO warned, press freedom is in critical decline. Its 2025 index shows conditions for journalism have worsened worldwide, marking the first time in its history that RSF has described the situation as “difficult” across the board.
– TIMES/AFP/NA
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