"UNESCO honors 'La Prensa', a Nicaraguan newspaper that currently resides in exile, with a prestigious press freedom award"
Joey's Jottings: A stirrin' tale of La Prensa, the no-nonsense daily rag from Nicaragua that's been standin' up for speakin' truth to power since 1926. But ol' Dan Ortega, the despot running Nicaragua since '07, ain't too keen on folks havin' their say. So, he's been crackin' down hard on La Prensa, forcin' 'em to cease production of their print version and terminatin' the jobs of many an employee in 2021.
The fella in charge, Juan Lorenzo Holmann, found himself in a heap of trouble when the government nabbed him on false charges of money laundering. Holmann and 221 other dissidents were booted outta the country in February 2023 and shipped off to the United States. Ain't no mercy for those speakin' out against the regime in Nicaragua.
"Got no choice but to keep on fightin,'" Holmann told the Agence France-Presse when hearin' the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize was comin' their way in '25. "Journalism ain't just a job in Nicaragua. It's a sacred duty."
La Prensa ain't just about spewin' out the news - they're standin' tall as a beacon of hope for the press freedom movement in Nicaragua, a country rankin' dead last on Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index, comin' in at 172nd out of 180 countries.
Despite totin' the torch all the way from exile, La Prensa's impact can be felt even beyond their own borders, inspirin' the Nicaraguan opposition based in Costa Rica to keep on pushin' for change. And for their bravery in the face of repression, they'll be formally presented with the UNESCO-Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize in Brussels on May 7.
Keep on fightin', La Prensa. Yours is a struggle worth standin' behind.
Sources:
- "History of La Prensa." La Prensa. Link
- "Nicaragua's repression against the press." Reporters Without Borders. Link
- "Authorities raid office of La Prensa in Nicaragua." Committee to Protect Journalists. Link
- "Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa receives UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize." UNESCO. Link
- "Chamorro Murder Sparks Protests in Nicaragua." Time. Link
- Juan Lorenzo Holmann, the courageously exiled editor of Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa, will receive the UNESCO-Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize in Brussels on May 7, 2023.
- Despite operating from exile since 2023, La Prensa's impact extends beyond its home country, inspiring the Nicaraguan opposition in Costa Rica to continue their struggle for change.
- La Prensa, a daily rag based in Nicaragua, has vocationally stood up for speaking truth to power since 1926, but has faced severe repression under President Daniel Ortega's regime.
- In the face of government crackdowns, La Prensa, ranked 172nd out of 180 countries on the Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index, continues to champion sustainable living and home-and-garden lifestyles, even in the diaspora.
