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OAS SECRETARY GENERAL UNDERSCORES IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, stressed that the press has a fundamental role in promoting and maintaining transparent, pluralistic information policies that strengthen democracy in the region.

Speaking at the IV Seminar on Political Communications and Public Marketing, held at George Washington University in Washington, the Secretary General said that “we must place on the public agenda a high-quality public debate, a debate of ideas, projects and proposals.” In this regard, he added, the media, along with “solid, timely and serious information,” have a crucial role to play in strengthening democracy.

Insulza highlighted the positive climate in the Americas during the past year, referring to the more than 13 presidential elections that have taken place with “open and participatory” campaigns. Although in some cases there has been an increase in the tendency to take political differences to the courts, this is not the best path, Insulza said; rather, he suggested that dialogue, negotiations and a constructive political focus would be more favorable to the democratic system.

The Secretary General summarized key issues facing the region and identified problems related to sustainable growth, poverty and discrimination, integration, crime and the lack of good governance as challenges to overcome in Latin America and the Caribbean. Although there has been substantial economic growth and democracies have been strengthened in the region, many citizens still feel disillusioned, he explained. “People want good governments so that they can see whether for once they can also benefit from economic growth, and the stability of governments will be assured to the extent that they are capable of governing well,” he said.

Insulza noted that freedom of expression is essential to confront the main obstacles to good governance. “A public communications policy that is unrestricted, free of pressure, protected and absolutely pluralistic, with access to all the necessary information generated by the public apparatus, in a transparent manner, constitutes an element that plays a key role in today’s democracy,” he said.

In a globalized world, freedom of expression has progressed substantially, the Secretary General said, but in some countries, journalists still lack certain guarantees. “Without a doubt, the profession of the journalist or communicator is still not exempt from danger in our region,” he said. In this context, he said, pluralism is as important as the guarantees to freedom of expression, adding that states need to find a way to come to terms with this reality.

Reference: E-231/06