Investigative journalism at risk without access to information

By Julieta del Río

Transparency is not a luxury, it is a democratic necessity. Without the INAI (National Institute for Access to Public Information and Protection of Personal Data), we would go back decades in accountability, it is not an unnecessary expense; it is the guarantee that citizens can access the truth and demand justice.

The link between journalism and the right of access to information is based on the right to freedom of expression, recognized in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Without INAI, control over public information will remain in the hands of those who have an interest in hiding it.

The right of access to information has become a pillar for investigative journalism, they are a binomial that promotes accountability and generates information for society to influence the decisions of the authorities; a participatory society is democracy.

How would the disappearance of INAI affect investigative journalism?