Topic 1 - Freedom of Information

The freedom to access unbiased, factual information is inherently intertwined with democracy. Factual, unbiased information on the actions of governments allows citizens to hold their governments and leaders accountable in the event of wrongdoing. Government censorship, or the deliberate restriction of the sharing of information, continues to be practiced by various states across the Americas. A notable recent case of this phenomenon is the decision of the Venezuelan government to shut down the country’s oldest and most popular private television network, RCTV, in favor of a state-owned television service, sparking protests across the country out of fears that the government was aiming to further restrict criticism against it. Furthermore, as the Internet continues to grow in usership, it has begun to compete with traditional media as a valuable tool for the global distribution of information, which in turn has caused it to face censorship as well. As governments continue to limit freedom of information within their borders, it is up to the Organization of American States to prevent further censorship among member states and focus on improving access to factual information among the general public.

Topic 2 - Government Corruption

Government corruption is present to varying extents in nearly every state in North and South America. This corruption can appear in a variety of forms, including but not limited to bribery of public officials, clientelism, the exchange of money, goods, and services for political support, and kleptocracy, the mass embezzlement of money from the state. The consequences of corruption in government are just as numerous. Corruption in a country’s government amplifies existing issues of economic and social inequality and often poses a significant threat to democracy if it is left unchecked. It is up to the Organization of American States to focus on creating a solution that not only prevents further corruption but also seeks to mitigate the effects of corruption that has already taken place.