The Committee to Protect Journalists has appointed José Zamora as Regional Director for the Americas, overseeing press freedom efforts across the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Zamora previously held senior communications roles at Univision News and Exile Content Studio. He also led the Knight News Challenge at Knight Foundation, supporting grants focused on media innovation and freedom of expression.
“I’ve seen firsthand how vital independent journalism is to holding power to account and defending democracy,” Zamora said of his new role in a statement. “I’m committed to advancing CPJ’s mission to ensure that reporters everywhere can do their work freely and safely.”
His father, José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, is a Guatemalan journalist and founder of elPeriódico, who was arrested in 2022 on money laundering charges widely viewed by press freedom advocates as retaliation for his newspaper’s investigative reporting on government corruption during then-President Alejandro Giammattei’s administration.
His arrest led to a freezing of his assets and the shutdown of the publication. Zamora Marroquín was sentenced and remains in prison. Amnesty International found no evidence supporting the charges and documented human rights violations against him.
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