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Argentina Falls to 98th in RSF Press Freedom Index as Watchdogs Detail State-Driven Attacks

RSF's new index flags a steep slide tied to official hostility toward reporters.

Overview

  • RSF's 2026 index, published Thursday, places Argentina 98th out of 180 after an 11-place drop linked to growing pressure on journalists.
  • FOPEA reported 278 attacks on the press in 2025, up 55% from 2024 and the highest level since its monitoring began 18 years ago.
  • The group named President Javier Milei the main aggressor with 119 cases, citing a pattern of stigmatizing speech and physical harm that included a March 2025 injury to photojournalist Pablo Grillo.
  • FOPEA found state actors behind most cases, with judicial harassment up 150% and, this week, the government restricting reporters' access to the Casa Rosada press room.
  • RSF says global press freedom is at a 25-year low, with 52.2% of countries rated difficult or very serious, and it links Argentina's slide to a wider regional trend influenced by leaders who attack the media.