President of the Congress of Costa Rica Attends the Closing of the IAB Board of Directors Meeting
As part of the closing session of the International Association of Broadcasting (IAB) Board of Directors Meeting, held on May 14 in San José, Costa Rica, the IAB had the honor of welcoming Mr. Rodrigo Arias Sánchez, President of the Congress of the Republic of Costa Rica.
During the event, Mr. Gustavo Piedra Guzmán, President of the National Chamber of Broadcasting (CANARA) and IAB Treasurer Vice President, delivered a speech of appreciation and farewell to the board members and guests, highlighting the institutional significance of the gathering for Costa Rican broadcasting.
Following that, Dr. Paulo Tonet Camargo, President of the IAB, presented and read the Costa Rica Charter, a document in which the IAB reaffirms its commitment to defending the right to radio and television frequency concessions and firmly rejects any attempt to interfere with the fundamental right to freedom of expression.
To conclude the session, Mr. Arias Sánchez delivered a speech reflecting on key themes discussed during the High-Level Forum on Freedom of Expression held the previous day. He emphasized that freedom of expression is an irreplaceable pillar of any genuine democracy and that, now more than ever, it requires our shared attention and commitment. He stated that defending press freedom is also defending political freedom, social justice, and the very soul of democracy.
He stressed that a free press may be uncomfortable, but it is essential to democratic life. He affirmed that frequency concessions must not be used to reward submission or punish dissent, as the spectrum is a public good that demands transparency and legal certainty. This, he noted, is not an abstract legal concept but an essential condition for media to operate independently. He concluded with a powerful message: A free press does not need praise — it needs guarantees. What is at stake is the citizen’s right to be informed.