ICFJ announces an investigative reporting initiative for Mexico and Central America.

Participating journalists should have a strong commitment to investigative reporting and should be willing to work in teams across borders. Journalists working in Mexico or Central America for online, print or broadcast media are welcome to apply.

Click here to apply now!

In Central America and Mexico, a surging tide of instability fueled by narcotics trafficking and corruption threatens to overwhelm the foundations of entire countries. In countless cases, international criminal entities have subverted or intimidated proper authority, leaving ordinary people at the mercy of criminals who in some cases have even dared to levy taxes on them and commit heinous murders in their midst with impunity.

Imparting skills such as investigating reporting, cybersecurity, mobile and data journalism will build the journalists’ vital capacities in high-quality and secure investigative journalism. In this way, they will help to promote the transparency and accountability needed to turn the tide and create an atmosphere in which stability and democracy have a chance to take root.

It is with this mind that ICFJ announces an investigative reporting initiative for Mexico and Central America. The program includes:

• An two-week online orientation on preparation of in-depth reporting projects for up to 20 selected editors and reporters.
• A regional working-group meeting with 20 journalists in Panama City.
• Selection of five transnational reporting projects.
• Online coaching for selected news reporting teams and editors.

At the end, a core group of investigative reporters will be capable of teaming up with others to foster in-depth coverage of critical transnational issues, particularly on organized crime and corruption, affecting local communities in Central America and Mexico.

Applicants must present a project proposal of no more than 150 words in their application, detailing the reporting project they would be interested in pursuing with colleagues from the region, which must also details a reporting project on issues related to transnational organized crime and corruption.

A group of 20 journalists from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama will be selected to participate in the online orientation program and in the investigative reporting and digital security workshop in Panama on July 26 and 27. ICFJ’s partner in Panama is the Latin American Center for Journalism (CELAP). The deadline for submitting applications is June 15th, 2013.

To apply, please click here.

To read this page in Spanish, please click here.

The program is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy.