From August 8th to 15th, journalists from Central America, the Caribbean, and South America gathered in Panama City for workshops on combating misinformation, data collection, and digital security. San Pedro Sun’s Senior Reporter Dion Vansen and three other Belizean journalists joined the training: Zoila Palma of Breaking Belize News, Louis Wade III of Plus TV, and Hipolito Novelo of Great Belize Media.
The one-week program, called Revisa, followed weeks of online data, propaganda, and cybersecurity webinars. Journalists from Guatemala, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Paraguay also participated in the sessions addressing the growing threats of digital manipulation and misinformation.
In Panama, participants received training from organizations such as Desconfío of Argentina, specializing in data journalism and investigative reporting. These sessions focused on techniques to detect, analyze, and counter false information. The program also featured classes with TEDIC, a Paraguayan nonprofit that advocates for digital rights, privacy, and cybersecurity. According to Vansen, the training equipped journalists with tools to protect communications and strengthen the integrity of the information shared by their media outlets.
Throughout the week, speakers from Panama, Ecuador, Argentina, and Spain delivered presentations on regional media challenges. Participants also visited the Latin American Parliament, the Panama Convention Center, and the Human Rights Museum.
After the program, journalists interested in applying the techniques learned to investigative reporting were invited to apply for a fellowship.
