Juan Luis Font

Ensuring Sustainability of Independent Media in Central America (March 2024–August 2024)

Mr. Juan Luis Font is the leading anchor and founder of ConCriterio, a multimedia news and debate program which produces timely analysis of current issues in Guatemala. Over the course of multiple decades of experience in investigative journalism, he has co-founded several news platforms, including El Periódico, A Primera Hora, ContraPoder and A las 8.45. For seventeen years, he served as director of El Periódico, an internationally recognized newspaper on the frontlines of reporting on corruption in Guatemala; the outlet made the decision to cease operations in 2023 due to the systematic judicial harassment of its staff. Mr. Font was forced into exile in 2022 after facing legal intimidation and harassment from Guatemalan authorities. From exile, he continues to produce a radio talk show and a weekly television analysis program through his ConCriterio platform. In 2016, he received the Latin American Studies Association Journalism Award. During his fellowship, Mr. Font is researching new business models and communication methods to ensure the preservation of high-quality and sustainable journalism in Latin America and beyond.