Advocacy group: Costa Rica has best press record in region

Reporters Without Borders says that Costa Rica has the best record for press liberty in Latin America, while Cuba is the region’s worst violator of media freedoms.

The Paris-based press advocacy group says in its 2017 Press Freedom Index released Wednesday that Costa Rica placed sixth on a list ranking 180 countries according to level of press freedom.

Cuba was placed in spot 173, with Sudan, Vietnam, China, Syria, Turkmenistan, Eritrea and North Korea occupying the seven lowest rankings.

Norway ranks in first place, followed by Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands.

The watchdog organization said Mexico is the Western Hemisphere’s deadliest country for reporters. It was ranked 147 on the list.

Brazil, ranked 103, was also named among one of Latin America’s most violent countries for journalists.