In 2023, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and the think tank Expediente Abierto held a workshop on China's influence in Central America for the first time. The aim was to raise awareness among journalists from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama of the importance of China's presence in the region.
Economic interests by no means only drive Chinese investments; China also intends to exert political and ideological influence in Latin American countries. As a foundation for human rights and individual freedoms, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom considers it extremely relevant to carry out a detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Chinese strategy in order to be able to formulate appropriate approaches for strengthening democracy in Central America. The model of Chinese development aid is to be better understood with the help of workshops and seminars and to raise awareness not only among journalists, but also between the private sector and civil society in Central America. The Central American target groups are therefore not only provided with recommendations for a better understanding of Chinese policy, but also with tools and information that can be used, for example, to identify disinformation emanating from China and outline how to deal with it. Such information is possible to attain through journalistic exchanges as well as platforms that include essential data about the investment strategies of China.
Freedom of expression and the media