Do you know what happened? ALERTA Latam Monthly Bulletin – January 2026
- Political crisis and release of political prisoners in Venezuela
Since early January 2026, the political situation in Venezuela has been marked by a series of events that reflect both internal tension and the geopolitical impact of foreign intervention. Following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro by US forces, the interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez initiated a process to release individuals detained for political reasons. The Ministry of Penitentiary Services announced the liberation of 116 individuals, bringing the total number of releases since the beginning of the year to 133, although human rights organisations have reported a lower number of actual releases and denounced the slowness and opacity of the process. Families of more than 800 political prisoners have held vigils in front of various prisons, demanding clarity on the whereabouts and specific information about the releases. The combination of these releases with the context of tensions between regional governments, demands from multilateral organisations and critical voices within the country creates a political climate full of uncertainty.
You can read more here.
- Forest fires in Patagonia: thousands of hectares affected and environmental emergency
The forest fire season in the Patagonian lands of Argentina and Chile has intensified alarmingly during January 2026, with multiple fires consuming thousands of hectares of forests, grasslands and protected areas. The fires, which began earlier this month near towns such as Epuyén and Puerto Patriada in Argentina, have forced the evacuation of thousands of tourists and residents as the flames spread rapidly, affecting not only extremely valuable native ecosystems but also community infrastructure such as schools and power grids. Firefighters and volunteer brigades are actively fighting the fires, although drought conditions, high temperatures and strong winds have complicated containment efforts. Environmental organisations have questioned the state’s response in Argentina, pointing to the lack of resources and specialised personnel for fire prevention and management and warning that these phenomena reflect the impact of climate change and reduced investment in environmental policies.
You can read more here and in the January article.
- Pressure on freedom of expression in Latin America: challenges and recent cases
Freedom of expression continues to face restrictions in several Latin American countries, with increasing pressure on independent media, self-censorship due to political or economic threats, and a context of insecurity for those who report. The region has seen a sustained decline in access to information and standards of freedom of information, reflecting structural obstacles that limit public debate.
In addition, there are more subtle mechanisms that inhibit public participation and criticism, such as SLAPPs (strategic lawsuits against public participation) and the misuse of digital surveillance technologies, which generate fear, self-censorship and attrition among journalists, activists and human rights defenders, reducing the visibility of issues of public interest, including environmental and social issues. These phenomena highlight the need for effective regulatory frameworks and protection mechanisms.
Read the full article here.
- The Inter-American Court of Human Rights declares Brazil’s responsibility in the case of Hernández Norambuena v. Brazil.
In its ruling notified on 23 January 2026, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights declared Brazil’s international responsibility in the case of Hernández Norambuena v. Brazil. Brazil for the conditions of detention to which Mauricio Hernández Norambuena was subjected during his imprisonment in Brazil under the Differentiated Disciplinary Regime (RDD) between February 2002 and November 2006. The Court also held the State responsible for the lack of adequate and sufficient reasoning in the decisions determining the initial application and extension of the RDD and for the lack of access to effective judicial remedies to challenge the application of that regime. The Court established that its ruling constitutes, in itself, a form of reparation and, in addition, ordered the State to take other measures, such as the payment of compensation for non-pecuniary damage, among others.
You can read more here.
- Violence against journalists and human rights defenders in Mexico continues to cause international concern.
Amidst a climate of violence for human rights defenders and journalists, Mexico has recorded one of the first murders of journalists this year with the death of Carlos Castro, a renowned investigative reporter and director of a local media outlet in Veracruz, one of the most dangerous states for journalists. Castro had received protection measures after previous threats due to his investigative work and was killed while carrying out his duties, which has generated a wave of condemnation from national and international organisations. The case once again highlights the persistent vulnerability of journalists to organised crime violence, the complicity of local structures and the inadequacy of state protection mechanisms, consolidating Mexico as one of the most lethal countries for journalism in the region.
In this same context of violence, on 15 January, a group of United Nations experts demanded immediate answers from the Mexican state regarding the fate and whereabouts of human rights defenders Ricardo Lagunes and Antonio Díaz, three years after their forced disappearance after participating in a community meeting in San Miguel de Aquila, Michoacán, where collective actions were being discussed in response to the human rights impacts of the operations of the mining company Ternium, in the context of a long-standing conflict over natural resources.
You can read more here.
